About a month ago, Guam Memorial Hospital Administrator Lillian Posadas told senators she’s retiring in this heated exchange during a legislative oversight hearing.

Sen. Telo Taitague: Lillian, you've been there for five years and it's only getting worse. Isn't there a time for you to say, 'OK, I can't do it, I need to step down from this job and allow somebody else to come in and try and help this hospital?

Pereez-Posadas: You know, senator, thank you for that idea. Yes, I will step down. Yes, I will retire. I've done my time. thank you.  

But a week later, she sent a letter to the governor saying she’s staying on board. 

KUAM spoke with the hospital administrator today. 

"I officially notified the governor a week later that my decision after really praying on it and overwhelming support and encouragement not to resign and not to retire, I made my decision to stay on," she said. 

The oversight hearing was about the hospital’s dire financial condition and structural and maintenance concerns.

"It’s not so much that they were grilling me or attacking me because the hospital is not about me. The hospital is about the workers that give their heart and soul to continue to provide the care despite the limited resources," she said. 

Since then, senators and the governor have separately committed a total bailout of $50 million for overdue vendor payments and critical facility repairs. 

"So you can see that we’re not getting not even 80 percent or 75 percent of reimbursement from the payers," Posadas said.

 

 We asked if she felt the $50 million is more of a bandaid.

"Hopefully not," she said. "We’re looking at it to be not a bandaid but to at least give us stability because we have vendors that need to be paid."

It’s a stability the hospital is looking forward to with the governor’s fiscal review committee which will oversee how the pledged American Rescue Plan monies will be used. 

She says the committee, which was established last week, has yet to meet. 

"We haven’t really met. Ed Birn, who according to the governor is the person who will take the lead and call the meeting," Posadas said. "In fact, I texted him yesterday when he wants to call the meeting together and if he needs any help for us to come together."

For now, the public can hear more about the state of the hospital in a GMHA Board of Trustees meeting Wednesday at 5 p.m.

One thing to look out for is how the hospital is addressing a national nursing shortage. 

"That’s been quite an issue of concern because of the cost," Posadas said. "We continue to rely on the utilization of these travel nurses because of our perennial nursing shortage.

Click the link for information on the upcoming meeting:  https://notices.guam.gov/notice_detail/3593.