Published by the Bohol ChronicleWith a working monthly budget of P1 million against an expenditure of P4 million, the Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) will be at the risk of closure if it will not substantially improve income from its patients.
With this predicament, even indigent patients who would be occupying private rooms in government hospitals will be obliged to either pay cash or mortgage something of value before they be allowed to leave the hospitals with unpaid bills.
This was the statement issued by Dr. Edgar D. Pizarras, spokesman of the GCGMH following complaints from patients that the government hospital will not release them if they could not settle their accounts, either cash or leave a guarantee note, promissory note or mortgage.
He cited Republic Act 9439 otherwise known as the Anti-detention law of which the hospital adopts as its guiding policy in handling cases related to the releasing of indigent patients after their hospitalization.
The law, according to Dr, Pizarras, mandates that patients under the charity ward who have pending bills are released as long as they can produce a promissory note or get a guarantee note from acceptable individuals. However, he clarified that private patients who have pending bills are not released unless there is no guarantee or mortgage.
Despite this policy, the GCGMH continues to be filled with patients especially those coming from the towns.
As of yesterday, the biggest government hospital in the province registered 398 admitted patients or an excess of 163 patients since the maximum the hospital can comfortably accommodate is supposedly 235 patients.
Pizarras explained that the hospital cannot sustain its operations if all indigent patients will be extended free hospitalization.
He told the Chronicle that GCGMH is working on an appropriated budget of P1.096 million for its monthly maintenance and operating expenses released through the Department of Health.
Pizarras revealed that this budget is miniscule to sustain the operation since the hospital is spending P4 million in monthly expenditures.
Because of this financial situation, patients who would apply under the program for indigent patients will undergo rigid evaluation and assessment from the hospital's social workers. This is done in order to maximize the number of beneficiaries despite limited budget for the hospital.
Dr. Pizzaras said there are three types of budgetary allocation from the national government.
These are the personnel services budget, the capital outlay and the maintenance and other operating expenses.
He explained the personnel services budget cannot be used for other purposes because it's for the salaries while the capital outlay budget is intended to purchase modern equipments and hard assets. The maintenance and other operating expenses budget is used to purchase medicines and supplies, hire casuals, and pay electricity and water bills.
He added that under the standard set by the World Health Organization (WHO) the Department of Health should receive 5% of the country's total national budget. But the DOH receives only 3% out of the annual budget of the country that's why government owned hospitals are forced to generate income and funds for their continued services, Pizarras explained.
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