When the Journal was launched in 2003, one of its first stories that year was about the potential site for a new Guam Memorial Hospital, and the earthquake fault at that location.
Other stories followed — year after year.
We reviewed the various task forces, reports through the decades and efforts by our legislators to deal with GMH.
On top of that we’ve written about the physical problems at the hospital — a leaky facility, the dangerous Z wing, and a lack of air conditioning in the morgue. And inadequate parking. Now there is mold at the hospital following Typhoon Mawar, which further dealt a blow to GMH’s structure.
For years, our news team has sat through hearings, read releases, listened to the island’s leading doctors and written editorials.
Fast forward to 2023, and the hospital is still a conundrum that the 37th Guam Legislature has been unable to fix — aside from following in the footsteps of other legislatures and giving GMH emergency funding to pay its vendors.
Through the years administrations have tackled the issue — without success.
Governors have come up with solutions, appointed board members, fired board members, appointed administrators with talent, put political appointees in the job, or taken over running the hospital themselves.
Administrators have also come from our local talent pool or been recruited from off-island. Each administrator had a plan that fell by the wayside.
In the meantime, through the years there have been stop-gap measures to keep Guam Memorial Hospital from falling apart completely.
In 2023, we are again discussing the same locations that have been put forward throughout the years.
Again, we have had legislative hearings and budget hearings, and again blame is being apportioned and again there are stones being thrown — so far verbal only.
It’s time for an approach that clearly worked when Guam needed a second hospital to cope with a lack of beds.
That solution requires a recognition that a businesslike approach can work miracles.
We need a private sector partner with expertise in health care. mbj
Other stories followed — year after year.
We reviewed the various task forces, reports through the decades and efforts by our legislators to deal with GMH.
On top of that we’ve written about the physical problems at the hospital — a leaky facility, the dangerous Z wing, and a lack of air conditioning in the morgue. And inadequate parking. Now there is mold at the hospital following Typhoon Mawar, which further dealt a blow to GMH’s structure.
For years, our news team has sat through hearings, read releases, listened to the island’s leading doctors and written editorials.
Fast forward to 2023, and the hospital is still a conundrum that the 37th Guam Legislature has been unable to fix — aside from following in the footsteps of other legislatures and giving GMH emergency funding to pay its vendors.
Through the years administrations have tackled the issue — without success.
Governors have come up with solutions, appointed board members, fired board members, appointed administrators with talent, put political appointees in the job, or taken over running the hospital themselves.
Administrators have also come from our local talent pool or been recruited from off-island. Each administrator had a plan that fell by the wayside.
In the meantime, through the years there have been stop-gap measures to keep Guam Memorial Hospital from falling apart completely.
In 2023, we are again discussing the same locations that have been put forward throughout the years.
Again, we have had legislative hearings and budget hearings, and again blame is being apportioned and again there are stones being thrown — so far verbal only.
It’s time for an approach that clearly worked when Guam needed a second hospital to cope with a lack of beds.
That solution requires a recognition that a businesslike approach can work miracles.
We need a private sector partner with expertise in health care. mbj