COA SLAMS CAPITOL: Contract workers man hospital’s welfare office, billing section

By: Gerome Dalipe

STATE auditors slammed the Iloilo Provincial Government for allowing contractual workers to man the social welfare office and billing section of the Jesus M. Colmenares District Hospital in Balasan town.

In its annual report, the Commission on Audit (COA) questioned the Capitol’s move in allowing contract of service and job order workers to staff the said hospital sections.

The accountabilities and responsibilities on the functions of these sections could not be imposed since no regular employees are supervising their tasks, COA noted.

This practice exposed the 25-bed hospital to risk of errors and possible fraud in the preparation of billings and grant of medical assistance, state auditors said.

Verification by the auditors confirmed the hospital’s billing sections were all manned by contractual and contract of service workers.

The auditors also discovered that the designated “billing supervisor,” who is covered by special order dated Sept. 1, 2016 issued by the hospital chief, is a job order worker for almost 10 years already.

The position for social welfare officer, which was vacated in January 2018, remained unfilled, the auditors said.

Thus, the supposed responsibilities and functions of the social welfare officer are being performed by a contractual worker.

During the exit conference, the hospital’s administrative officer explained that the vacant social welfare office is still pending before the Provincial Selection Board and that no advisory was received for the opening of the vacancy.

The administrative officer admitted that the billing section is being manned by a contractual worker.

Nevertheless, the administrative officer said the creation of a regular position for the billing and collection section was already proposed during their strategic planning of the Human Resource Office.

A total of 5,792 in-patients were served, with an average of 965 clients per month, or 32 patients per day, according to the hospital’s statistical report for period January to June, 2018.

“With these amount of patients catered, the functions and responsibilities of the billing personnel and Social Welfare Office cannot be left to the job order workers alone,” read the COA report.

The absence of an employer-employee relationship will prevent accountabilities on errors or possible fraud in the future.

That’s because these workers do not have the security of tenure and can leave anytime, hence there is no continuity of service and the risk that there will be no proper turnover of documents.

“By employing regular and qualified personnel for the front line sections certain degree of controls and accountability on their respective functions and responsibilities are placed, that will significantly contribute to efficient and effective hospital operations,” the auditors said.

In the report, the auditors urged the Hospital Management Office to make representation to the governor for the creation of the billing and section staff plantilla and the Social Welfare Office.

The above positions should be filled with qualified and competent personnel so the control and accountability on these sections can be imposed, the auditors said.

Likewise, the auditors said the hospital chief should ensure that controls are in place and operating in each section or division.

Controls are not limited only on the physical control but also include the assessment and design of the organizational structure and staffing pattern.

Aside from the assignment of medical personnel, priority and emphasis should also be given to key sections or divisions of the hospital, such as the billing and collection sections.

“It is essential that a health care facility should have an accountable, efficient and dynamic organizational structure and operating mechanism that meets priority requirements of the communities by delivering quality basic services,” the report read.