AN AMICABLE settlement was reached by government and hospital officials on Friday, June 22, to avoid an impending closure of the Bacolod Our Lady of Mercy Specialty Hospital (BOLMSH).
Mayor Evelio Leonardia called for a meeting between Philhealth and the BOLMSH officials and executives.
PhilHealth was represented by regional vice president for Western Visayas Lourdes Diocson, along with other executives, while the hospital was led by Dr. Nestor Amante, president of BOLMSH-NHMSI.
The mayor told the group that “this issue is a matter of public interest and we must explore all avenues to prevent a disruption of health care services and even loss of jobs. I appeal to all parties concerned to keep an open mind and pursue a solution for the good of the community.”
The meeting ended with both parties agreeing to an amicable settlement, a press release from the office of Leonardia said.
As a result, officials of BOLMSH and PhilHealth thanked Leonardia for arranging a meeting between them, which eventually led to coming up with a “win-win solution.”
The two parties agreed that pending resolution of the issues, BOLMSH will continue to operate until July 30, instead of closing down this week.
For its part, the PhilHealth Regional Office committed to requesting the Accreditation Committee to expedite the deliberation of the denied accreditation papers of the BOLMSH within 30 days, should the hospital file for a motion for reconsideration.
Amante said he thanked the city officials for their help and assistance in arranging the meeting with PhilHealth.
He also thanked Gregorio Gustilo Jr., president of the Negrense Dialysis Group, who joined the meeting, and who wrote a letter of appeal to President Rodrigo Duterte to help the BOLMSH.
“Everybody was happy after the meeting. It was a win-win solution,” Amante said.
For their part, Diocson said they are thankful to Leonardia for “bringing BOLMSH and PhilHealth together to clear up the issue on the closure of BOLMSH.”
Together we work out the options to continue the services of BOLMSH and to ensure the availability of services of the hospital to its clientele, she added.
However, Diocson said they just want to make it clear that the decision for closure was made primarily by the hospital, and that the denial of the accreditation was because of the conviction of fraudulent activities which were committed in previous years under the previous management, Tiong Bi Inc.
Secondly, she added, we want to clear that the closure is not because that PhilHealth was not able to pay the P25 million as claimed by the hospital.
It was not paid because the accreditation of BOLMSH for 2018 was not approved yet, she said.
Earlier this week, Amante served notice to Department of Labor and Employment Regional Director Johnson Cañete that effective June 19, the hospital was no longer accepting patients and was winding down its operations.
Meanwhile, prior to the meeting of Leonardia with both camps, Dr. Rustico Jimenez, president of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI), said they will lobby with the PhilHealth to reconsider the suspension of the accreditation to stop the closure of the facility.
"On Monday, we will have a meeting with the new PhilHealth President, Dr. Roy Ferrer. I will raise the matter and lobby for the reconsideration of the denial of the accreditation because PhilHealth can just put a fine but not close the hospital," Jimenez pointed out.
He said that one of the board of directors of PHAPI approached him during the seminar and asked what they can do with BOLMSH.
PhilHealth, he stressed, should not remove the accreditation. "Because the moment you remove the accreditation, the hospital cannot anymore admit the PhilHealth patients. The patients will suffer," he pointed out.
"I will try my best. We can just request but the decision is on the board of PhilHealth because they are the implementor," he added.
However, Amante said that even if PhilHealth will reconsider their accreditation suspension, they still won't reconsider to close the hospital unless they are paid off their P25 million claims from March to May this year.
A reconsideration may take effect one month or two months and that would mean additional P10 million for them and that no doctor or patient would go to the hospital without PhilHealth and fully pay for their bills.
"I am not very eager to open. Why should I appeal? This is not our case. I don't know what's her action (referring to Tiong BI's president Dr. Evangeline Johnson). We're closing what will we operate. Our lease contract is only up to December," Amante pointed out.
He said they have considered the appeal of the 231 dialysis patients that they will be accommodated in the hospital until June 30 but the hospital has already stopped the admission of patients and that 13 patients are left in the hospital as of yesterday.
In their notice of termination to the members of the BOLMSH Employees Union, Amante stated the continuous operation of the facility will inflict more serious financial reverses and economic losses to the hospital and its management.
He emphasized that NHMSI is not involved whatsoever in any capacity or nature and is not a party respondent to the said PhilHealth case.
"Effective June 19, the hospital will cease/close its operations and from accepting new patients as it is no longer economically viable for the hospital to continue its operation," Amante's memo stated.
The employees' termination will be made 30 days from June 19, Amante said.
On the part of the union, Santi Mamon, president of BOLMHS Employees Union, with the National Federation of Labor Union-Kilusang Mayo Uno (NAFLU-KMU), is asking Johnson to face them and come up with a solution.
The Union said that Johnson has not met with them since the PhilHealth suspension of the hospital's accreditation came.
Mamon said that 75 percent of the employees are under the management of NHCMSI while 25 percent belongs to the owner of the hospital under Johnson.
They also appealed to PhilHealth to reconsider the suspension so the hospital would continue operating.
Mamon also pointed out that it's not only the 401 hospital employees who will be affected but also their respective families who are dependent on them.
The dialysis patients, on the other hand, said that they are only paying P1,500 per session at the hospital which is the lowest in all the dialysis centers in Bacolod City, as it is shouldered by PhilHealth and the PCSO.
Amante said they will charge an average of P1,500 per dialysis session per patient until June 30 without the PhilHealth.
The hospital caters to an average of 70 dialysis patients per day, as they have 24 dialysis machines.