Terri in the paper again

The following article was published in the local paper. I believe that the crisis may have been solved (at least temporarily), and that Dr. Balachandra and the Medical Board have reached an agreement to provide supervision for the mid-levels on Tinian... but they are still waiting to hear the 'final' okay from the board.

Saipan Tribune, Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Long-term solution sought for Tinian clinic

By Nazario Rodriguez Jr.Reporter

The Department of Public Health must focus on the long-term solution of finding a doctor for the Tinian Health Center in light of the hospital now having no doctors or mid-level providers officially able to work at the clinic, the Public Health Secretary said yesterday.

“A long term solution is the most important,” Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez said yesterday.

The Tinian Health Center has been without a doctor since July, when Ronaldo Toledo resigned. Physician assistant Terri Clawson was prescribing drugs with the oversight of a Saipan doctor, but the Medical Licensing Board recently expressed concern about the number of narcotic drugs she has been prescribing. A Commonwealth Health Center doctor, Shirish Balachandra, was to act as Clawson's new remote supervisor, but the Licensing Board and Balachandra were unable to come to an agreement on supervision, forcing Clawson and medic Juan Pangelinan to use the Good Samaritan law in order to treat patients with life or death injuries.

Villagomez, who was on leave for a few days last week, said he was going to speak with deputy secretary Pete Untalan, who is now on leave, and see where the situation stands. It has been relatively quiet there lately, he said.

Villagomez said DPH must work to find a replacement doctor to solve the problem at the clinic. But in today's world, he said, it's hard to find doctors that are in general practice. Most doctors tend to specialize in a certain area to make more money. The ideal doctor to fill the role is someone at the end of his or her career, looking for a more relaxed way of living on an island such as Tinian or Rota, Villagomez added.

DPH works with the National Health Services Corp., an organization that helps underserved communities find health care professionals. Villagomez said during the next recruitment gathering, a representative from Tinian would be sent.

The situation at the Tinian Health Center will be a part of DPH's end-of-the-year report that Villagomez, like other Cabinet members, will turn in to the governor.