Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga has been sent letters requesting that he keep the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board of the LBJ Hospital board of Directors, Dr. Malouamaua Tuiolosega and Dr. Jean Anderson, respectively, and tonot replace them. The three groups who wrote the governor with their request are 12 local doctors and dentists, another from 30 non-Samoan doctors, and the third on is signed by 6 pediatricians. There’s also a letter of support from four LDS volunteer doctors.
Chairman Dr. Tuiolosega’s term on the hospital board expired March 3, while that of Dr. Anderson expires on March 30.
The letter from local physicians and doctors says this is the first time, in the history of the Board of Directors for the LBJ Tropical Medical Center, that this institution “is led by strong and courageous health professionals […with] Dr. Malouamaua Tuiolosega and Dr. Jean Anderson as Chair and Vice Chair. Furthermore, the support of members, Dr. Talifa Talifa Jr., representing the dentists, as well as senior members, Elder Jessop and Rep. Allen, all of whom have contributed proudly to the developments and advancement that are currently occurring within the LBJ. It is also the first time we have an Acting CEO who is a physician, Dr. Akapusi Ledua, and an experienced CMO from off island, Dr. Joseph Shumway, thus far has provided a positive and encouraging environment and helping guide our medical staff back to respectability.
“We commend you in your guidance in assembling this amazing team.” 
The letter goes on, “The ability of the board to be flexible in its decisions is admirable. For example, they entrusted in the selection of our former CEO and gave him the chance to make improvements. Once they realized he was making decisions that were not aligned with LBJ’s mission and vision, they immediately took action and did what was best for the hospital.”
The local doctors told Governor Lemanu that their letter is to show support for the current Board of Directors and asked Lemanu “to please give them a chance to continue to do the excellent work they are doing.”
They wrote, “We have high hopes that this board of directors is leading LBJ Hospital in the right direction to achieve its mission to provide high quality, safe and comprehensive health care that our people deserve.”
The letter from the pediatricians and off island doctors express the same sentiments.
The pediatricians said, “…It has been a feeling of reassurance and confidence that having a board composed of health care providers, who really understands the plight and concerns plaguing LBJ healthcare system, has been finally addressed.”
They said, “It’s important for us too to hear and see the transparency that governs our hospital and never before have we experienced how valued we are as health care providers, which the current board has shown. The changes that they are working on have made a positive impact on us that finally things are going in the right perspective.”
Meanwhile, the letter from the off island doctors said, “The board decided on Dr. Ledua in particular, who has been serving the American Samoa population over the past two decades and has completed his MBA in health system management. He has been personally involved in the recruitment of physicians and nurses at such a time that the nursing shortage was so critical leading to the nurses’ walk out.”
They noted that the LBJ Emergency Room is fully staffed, “and that allowed us to create a non-emergency clinic. Now, we have top notch US board licensed physicians and marrow specialists like spinal orthopedic surgeon, cardiologist and radiologist.”
They also pointed out that the board and new administration has successfully recruited and hired a high level executive with credentials and experience “way above anything that other candidates on the island may present. Dr Shumway’s contribution to LBJ and to the medical staff is going to be highly valuable in the next 3-4 years. In addition, a new HR Director of Samoan descent has been hired and will assist in efforts to move LBJ forward.”
They also wrote that the new administration still maintains predominantly Samoan born and raised leaders with the skills to act in a crisis situation, and who have demonstrated a commitment to helping move LBJ forward. The doctors plead with the Governor, Cabinet, Senate and House of Representative to maintain the current Board and administration in order to move LBJ forward.
The letter from the LDS missionary doctors said that in the past, “the hospital has not had leadership that has been able to make any lasting improvement in the overall sad state of health care in American Samoa. We, now, see an opportunity for this to chance. We see an amazing momentum for positive, sustained, improvement with the current hospital leadership by the board, Dr. Ledua as CEO and Dr. Shumway as Chief Medical Officer. “
