Philippine Medical Scams harm tourism/investment effort

[Hoss]

The WORLD does pay attention to this and now the medical industry in the Philippines is bearing the consequences of medical fraud, govt. corruption and Nursing school scandals and performance. The medical profession as a whole is at its lowest level of respect and confidence ever, and is now very harshly judged by world public opinion. How will Filipinos turn this once highly respected profession around? What steps can Nursing organizations and nurses themselves take to start reversing this trend?

Health scams deterring RP's medical tourism bid

"If we talk about HMOs in other countries who would like to invest in our medical tourism industry, they always have the claim that if Philippines is noted for fraud what are we going to do about this?" Garin added.

Recent health-related scandals could dampen the Philippine's bid as a medical tourism destination, a congresswoman leading a legislative investigation into the issue said Thursday.

Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin said she also fears that health maintenance organizations (HMOs) considering investments in the Philippines might be turned off by the country's notoriety for health scams.

"As far as our medical tourism is concerned, this [insurance fraud] is one factor that is deterring our take off," Garin, a doctor by profession, said in an interview on ANC's "News at 8" Thursday morning.

Garin spoke about the US veteran fund scam where hospitals and medical practitioners are believed to have connived with US veterans to avail of

bogus health claims, some of which were allegedly padded by as much as 2,000 percent.

The anomalies are now the subject of US court cases.

A US federal judge has already ordered a Philippine company, Health Visions Corp., to liquidate all assets within 10 months to pay up the $100 million it

swindled from the US military's health insurance program. This came after the company pleaded guilty to uncovered fraud.

Continue: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=117553

[ulyza]

As a member a the health care team and under this overall reputation,as filipino nurses we should start on ourselves first.

AS what the "CANester Scandal" made public think bad about filipino nurses. If you've watched it,it's very unprofessional for them (nurses,doctors,student nurses) to do that. Taking picture without patient's concern is illegal and to laugh with the patient and celebrate as if it's new year when the canester was removed is unhumane. It clearly violated the patient's right.

So these people should be punished to serve as a lesson and serve as threat to those who plan to follow their foot steps.