The Department of Interior is providing three technical assistance grants totaling $212,800 for health initiatives in American Samoa.
Acting Assistant Secretary Nikolao Pula said in a press release the funding from the Office of Insular Affairs supports initiatives supported by Governor Lolo Moliga that will improve critical health care services in the territory.
The biggest amount, $108,320, goes to the American Samoa Cancer Coalition for the Cancer Patient Navigator Program.
This is to assess and modify the community-based Patient Navigation System which will be implemented through the LBJ Tropical Medical Center to improve access and guidance in cancer treatment healthcare for affected American Samoa residents.
Currently, there’s a lack of coordination in the territory for proper diagnosis and treatment once a patient has received a suspicious clinical finding indicative of cancer.
Patients beginning their fight against cancer in the territory are without proper support and guidance to seek and navigate advanced cancer treatments in the more complex and expensive healthcare systems off-island.
$80,200 is awarded to the LBJ Tropical Medical Center for the “Comprehensive Clinical Documentation Improvement Initiative.”
This provides clinical charting and documentation amongst physicians, medical coders and billers to improve patient safety outcomes, accountability, clinical preparedness, billing procedures, and overall quality of patient care.
This funding is provided as a follow-up on recommendations provided through a Physician Assessment and Clinical Education program conducted by the University of California, San Diego, and Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services facility surveys conducted in the territory.
$24,280 also goes to LBJ for Surgical Wound Care and Certified Hyperbaric Technological Training.
This is to provide for professional training and workforce development and capacity building of the local medical professional workforce, particularly in surgical wound care and certified hyperbaric therapy.
Given the rising increase of incidences of diabetes, obesity and vascular diseases in American Samoa, this funding supports the growing need for improved and enhanced strategies to manage wound care on the island.
Acting Secretary of the Interior for Insular Affairs Nikolao Pula said, “We are pleased to support the Governor in improving responsiveness to critical health care needs for the residents.
“With the limited healthcare that exists on the island, we must help patients gain access to more advanced treatment while also ensuring efficiency of treatment on island.”
