‘No Pfs for docs, consultants receiving honoraria’

DOCTORS and consultants of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) who are already receiving honoraria from the city government are prohibited from charging their patients professional fees (PF), said Councilor Ronald Cuenco.

Cuenco, head of the council’s health committee and a member of the hospital’s board of directors, said that PFs may only be charged in “special cases” and when the consultant for example is called to handle specialty cases.

“Some doctors collect PF in extreme cases or specialty cases like surgical and medical procedures,” he said.

However, Cuenco said, that the CCMC management board discouraged these doctors from collecting PFs and instead encouraged them to either collect minimal fees or extend free medical services.

“We are also asking our doctors at CCMC to  consider the economic condition of our patients,” said Cuenco.

Cuenco presented in yesterday morning’s council session a resolution for the renewal of the contracts of 14 doctors for the pediatrics department of CCMC from the period of January to June 2012 which the council also approved of.

Dr. Mary Jol Sucalit, department head, is to receive a P6,000 honorarium a month while Dr. Leah Lafuerte, training officer, will get P5,000. Twelve other doctors will receive a monthly honorarium of P4,000 each.

Councilor Margot Osmena raised during the session her concern about some CCMC doctors and consultants charging PFs as high as P15,000 to their patients, separate from the patients’ bills, which the hospital charges to the city’s medical assistance program called Champ. /Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac