by Krystal Paco

Guam - If you or a loved one has ever had to travel stateside to seek medical care, there's a good chance you've heard of Good Samaritan Hospital. Located in downtown Los Angeles, they've served as Guam's off-island healthcare provider for the last three decades.

More fondly known to patients and their families as "Good Sam" patient services coordinator Bethany Van Boxtel says opening a Guam Patient Services Office is a testament to their continued commitment to Guam patients. "The Good Samaritan Hospital family has been part of Guam's extended family for nearly three decades - always helping those in need while they're thousands of miles away from home seeking medical treatment," she said.

And with the ribbon cut for their seventh floor office located at the GCIC Building in Hagatna, patients are even closer to the road to recovery.

Good Sam medical director Dr. Juan Carlos Quiros said, "So the idea of us being here now its not to take the patients off island, our idea is to begin to treat them here, prevent disease here, and only those who really need to go off island then by all means we'll gladly accommodate those who will choose us to do their healthcare."

Now you can schedule your follow-up appointments, get assistance with obtaining prior authorizations from your insurance company, and request medical records - all by calling one local phone number or paying a visit the Hagatna office.

This on top of access to free health education classes. Lt. Governor Ray Tenorio said, "We appreciate this. We're a small community. We don't have the size that large metropolitans have to be able to get all the expertise therein lies the necessity to make sure that we have a catalyst and a channel that our people can avail themselves of specialties that are not currently available on Guam or available in a limited degree."

For more information on the Guam office, call 479-5633.