The management of the Dominica China Friendship Hospital (DCFH) has apologized for claims that fees are levelled against emergency-care patients before they are treated at the hospital. The CEO of the hospital, Dr. William Dexter James, said he is deeply embarassed by the claims and noted that investigation is ongoing into the allegations.
Dr. James said the board of DCFH takes any allegations against the hospital seriously, and that rumours have been rife on social media that the hospital personnel charges for upfront payments before attending to emergency-care patients. He said the hospital is investigating claims that the personnel failed to attend to certain emergency victims until they paid some money.
“I am here to address the concerns because these concerns are very troubling to the Board of Management,” Dr. William Dexter James stated. “I deeply apologize for it and it is a matter that is under investigation at this point in time.”
He emphasized that DCFH operates by statutory rules which dictate conditions under which patients may be charged for medical services. He said the medical fees are also clear and cannot be changed by anyone without board or government approval. He however noted that accident victims or patients in traumatic situations must be attended to first before the issues of fees ever come up.
James stated that administrative personnel who charge accidents or patients with life-threatening situations before treating them are misinformed. He urged members of the public who was forced to make payment in dire emergency situations before medical help was rendered to call the DCFH’s complaints lines or email pmhqualitydepartment@dominica.gov.dm for redress.
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