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Hospital chair: Off Island Referral is for everybody

Hospital Chief Executive Officer, Taufete’e John Faumuina has confirmed that there are board members who are traveling on the Off Island Referral Care Program and they are Chairman Mase Akapo and Vice Chairman, Dr .Victor Tofaeono.

 

The CEO was responding to Samoa News questions following calls to our office that one board member has gone off island on the Referral Care Program four times.

 

Samoa News was not told which board member has traveled four times, but Mase responding to our inquiries — noted that bylaws for the program “allow a person to travel only twice for the same reason. However, one can travel for another reason if the service is not available locally.”

 

Samoa News pointed out to the Chairman that there have been a lot of complaints by the public and hospital employees that board members are among those who utilize this referral care program, while patients have been denied.

 

Mase told Samoa News that the Referral Board makes the determination of who qualifies to utilize the referral program and all referrals are based on their determination regardless of who you are. 

 

He continued, ”You can obtain a copy of the guidelines on how the Board makes their determinations from the Referral Board itself. 

 

“The guidelines are available, however for your information, personal information is protected by laws and should never be revealed by you or anyone else. Please rest assured that members of the Referral Board are honorable doctors who conduct their duties with the highest esteem of professionalism and integrities.”

 

Samoa News was unable to obtain a copy of the bylaws, as the reporter was informed that they have been revised recently.

 

Mase also made it clear that the program is for everyone. Samoa News asked him for a comment as the referral program was reestablished by the governor for low-income families and those with critical cases that cannot be treated on island.

 

Mase replied, “You are correct, except for the fact that it is for everybody.

 

Another issue Samoa News inquired about was the recent reimbursement of $5,000 plus to Mase who claims that he was attending to hospital business, but not recruiting.

 

He stated, “Please be informed that I never said I was traveling to recruit,” adding, “My trip was to explore avenues for funding for the hospital. I met with various funding sources both in Hawai’i and Alaska and with further development, we expect to take advantage of these resources be they financially or otherwise.”

 

Mase further stated that on July 3, 2015 in Kapolei, Hawai’i, he met with Chairman Kauila Clark, current chairman of National Association of Alternative Health Centers of America. His next meeting was in Honolulu on July 6, 2015, where he with Joyce Clark, Deputy CEO Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center and Team. Mase also traveled to Anchorage, Alaska, from July 8- 10, 2015, where he says he met with Dr. Mala and Dr. Chenco of South Central Foundation Hospital and Lucy Hansen and the Board of Directors of the Polynesian Association.

 

He explained that on his way back he met with the CEO and Board of Elders of Hawai’i Native, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Centers. “These meetings were conducted in confidence and the details will be shared with the CEO and the Board.”

 

Earlier this month, Board member and lawmaker, Faimealelei Anthony Allen informed the Fono, during a hearing called by Senator Tuaolo Manaia Fruean, that the Chairman of the hospital board allegedly overturned the decision by the CEO, who had denied a travel authorization request by Board Member, Dr. Tofaeono, who was traveling from San Francisco to Tennessee to recruit physicians/nurses.

 

In reply to Samoa News’ query, Mase replied, “Rep. Allen does not speak for the Board, his information was not correct.”

 

Another issue that hospital employees are not happy about is the traveling of board members on hospital business, such as the upcoming Pacific Island Health Officers Association (PIHOA) conference in Hawai’i. Mase said that the CEO was to attend but “he canceled out at the last minute and recommended that I attend.”

 

The hospital board chair said, “This is an opportunity for the Chairman to learn about PIHOA operations. ” Mase also made it clear that that the trip is not funded by the hospital, however it’s paid for by PIHOA, which is a non-profit organization that is led by collective interests of the Ministers, Secretaries, and Directors of Health of the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI). The USAPI include the three U.S. Flag Territories of Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa, and the three Freely Associated States (independent nations in a special compact relationship with the United States) of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia (Pohnpei, Kosrae, Chuuk, and Yap).

 

PIHOA's mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of USAPI communities by providing, through consensus, a unified credible voice on health issues of regional significance, according to its website.