The CEO of LBJ Hospital Faumuina John Faumuina says the biggest challenge facing the hospital is lack of local doctors and nurses, necessitating the hiring of personnel from off island.
He said the LBJ is approaching the governor for assistance in attracting young people to the medical profession.
Regarding nurses he said one of the challenges with the nursing program at the American Samoa Community College is the lack of teachers.
Senator Satele Galu Satele asked if there’s any plan to revivw the nursing school that was once operated by the Dept of Health and which regularly graduated a good cadre of nurses.
Director of Health Motusa Tuileama Nua was also asked about the dearth in local nurses when he appeared for his budget hearing.
Motusa told KHJ News that the nursing divisions of LBJ and DOH are both at fault for not collaborating on a strategy to attract students to the nursing profession.
He said at present it’s up to each student to pay their tuition whereas if there was funding provided to assist students with tuition, there would be more interest.
The Health Director said this would also help keep graduates in the territory instead of moving elsewhere with their nursing certificates.
In his budget presentation, LBJ CEO Faumuina said that hospital debts which stood at $14-15 million in 2014 when he returned to the CEO position, have been reduced to $5 million.
He said he and the ASG Treasurer are working on offsetting each others debts and if this is concluded, he expects LBJ debts to be reduced to $1.7 million.
LBJ’s operations are funded with revenues from fees and charges $7 million from the Department of Interior. and Medicare and Medicaid funding.
The CEO said LBJ depends on the subsidy from ASG for the local match for Medicaid.
