CAPIZ FORUM
Prov’l Board to probe ‘anomalies’ in RMPH
BY FELIPE V. CELINO
ROXAS City — The Provincial Board will investigate the alleged overpriced medicines and exorbitant professional fees of doctors in the Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital (RMPH).
This was after Board member Remia Fuentes-Bartolome, in her speech during last week’s session, revealed that she was a victim of such alleged anomalies.
“We can do nothing if a physician prefers a particular pharmacy, but why were (these medicines) too expensive?” she was supposed asking.
She also raised the problem on very expensive professional fees of doctors, which were sometimes being collected by a consultant of the provincial government.
Bartolome said she was wondering why the hospital does not issue an official bill for the doctors’ professional fees.
She said they were surprised upon learning that some patients were not released for not paying the doctor’s professional fee.
NO POLITICS
Amid all these, Atty. Jose Villanueva, acting chief legal officer and provincial administrator, said the investigation has neither political nor political inclination.
“It’s purely for Bartolome’s great concern on the plight of poor and indigent patients being treated in the provincial hospital,” he said.
Villanueva recently issued a memorandum ordering Dr. Celini Bauson, RMPH chief, to investigate Bartolome’s allegations.
Based on her report, Bartolome had undergone checkup at the RMPH due to abdominal pain.
However, the report denied that Bartolome’s attending physician demanded for a high fee. It also denied that the Board member was obliged to buy medicines in a particular pharmacy.
Villanueva said the governor is still waiting for Bauson to submit the RPMH’s implementing rules and regulations for a review.
Last year, Gov. Victor Tanco formed a committee to investigate the alleged overcharging of professional fees by physicians in RMPH and other government hospitals in the province.
Tanco has then received complaints that RMPH doctors are violating the provisions of Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code and the law governing government economic enterprises.
‘MOONLIGHTING’
During the time of then governor Vicente Bermejo, physicians were allowed to work in private hospitals when they were off-duty. This practice was dubbed “moonlighting.”
They were also allowed to charge professional fees from surgery patients in private hospitals.
A Provincial Capitol official said allowing doctors to privately practice did not mean they can abuse patients by charging exorbitant fees.
The provincial government earlier declared RMPH as one of its economic enterprises.
This means patients would only
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have to pay for the use of hospital facilities, equipment and services, and indigent patients will be charged of lower fees./PN
(Disclamer)
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