5 Mar 2012

Struggling American Samoa hospital to reduce some outpatient services from this week

4:32 pm on 5 March 2012

The American Samoa hospital, the LBJ Medical Center, is closing its outpatients' clinics each Friday from March the 9th, as the hospital struggles with ongoing budget issues.

The closure won't affect the Dialysis and Family Clinics.

The chief executive, Mike Gerstenberger, says full service will be restored as soon as the financial situation at the hospital improves.

Cut to working hours for certain employees went into effect over the weekend and will last until the end of June this year.

Mr Gerstenberger is urging the public to use the Department of Health's three community health centres during working hours for non emergency injuries and illnesses.

He says this will avoid long wait times at the LBJ's emergency room and allow medical staff to attend to more serious cases sooner.