In a 10-2 vote Tuesday, the Senate passed a bill to give the territory's hospitals the power to manage their finances, personnel, purchasing and billing in-house, without the burdensome bureaucracy of the government.
Personnel will still be paid from the General Fund because the hospitals are not yet in a position to become fully financially independent, according to Eugene Woods, CEO of the Roy L. Schneider Hospital.
Woods said in an interview that semi-autonomy would allow the hospitals to establish their own spending priorities.
"As it stands now, we send our bills to Finance," Woods said. "But they have no idea what needs to be addressed first. We are the ones who understand what our most basic needs are — like blood."
Under the new bill, proposed by Sen. Allie-Allison Petrus, the hospitals will maintain bank accounts where collections will be deposited and from which bills for supplies and services will be paid.
The two senators who voted against the bill were Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg and Judy Gomez. Donastorg voiced concern that the hospitals would overlook qualified local health-care providers, according to the Daily News account.
The bill now goes to Gov. Charles W. Turnbull for approval or veto.
