Cost of dialysis center balloons to $15M

The cost of the Commonwealth Health Center’s expansion has ballooned to $15 million from the original contract price of $5 million.

This means that the government paid $192 to build each square meter of the 78,000-square meter building, which was supposed to house a new hemodialysis center only.

The project ended up including additional out-patient clinics, a state-of-the-art command center in case of a disaster, soundproof conference rooms, spacious medical records and supply rooms, and administrative offices that have individual shower rooms.

Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez touted the new building’s features, as he gave acting Gov. Timothy P. Villagomez and CNMI lawmakers a tour of the facility yesterday afternoon.

For instance, he said, the hemodialysis center will enable CHC to serve the CNMI’s 115 dialysis patients in two shifts, instead of the current four shifts needed to accommodate them. “It’s more humane not only for the patients, but also for the staff. Nobody has to work until midnight,” Secretary Villagomez said.

He added that the new facility would have enough room to house medical records in an organized manner. He noted that the old hospital, which built when the CNMI’s population was only 15,000, now serves over 70,000 local residents and foreign workers.

“The records keep piling up. I’m not going to list the violations being committed right now [with regard to record-keeping], but we’re going to stop that,” he said. He added that DPH is in the process of converting all records to electronic form.

The medical supply room will prevent pilferage and loss that often occur as hospital supplies are currently kept in a Lower Base office.

Furthermore, the soundproof conference rooms will provide physicians a place to discuss patient issues and ensure that patient confidentiality is maintained.

Secretary Villagomez said the new hospital wing would be opened soon. The delivery of equipment for the new facility has begun and is expected to be completed in mid-November 2006.

Acting Governor Villagomez and the lawmakers were impressed with the project. “It’s huge. I got lost in some of the units. I’m glad that there is something our people can look forward to,” the acting governor said.

“Our money was well spent,” Rep. Manuel Tenorio said.

With an original contract price of $5 million, the project required numerous change orders and additional funding.

The Babauta administration, which started the project, reprogrammed $5.8 million for the hospital expansion. Additional funds were reprogrammed to complete the project.