Bill 96.

Summary.

The bill proposes to reorganize the management of the Nicolás A. Solano Regional Hospital (Hospital Regional Nicolás A. Solano) and establish its Board of Trustees (Patronato del Hospital Regional Nicolás A. Solano) as a public interest, nonprofit legal entity with its own assets and administrative, economic, financial and operational autonomy. It attaches the board to the Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Salud) and places its headquarters at the hospital in the corregimiento (district) of La Chorrera, Province of Panamá Oeste. The board would administer, preserve and protect the facilities of the Nicolás A. Solano Hospital (Hospital Nicolás A. Solano), its assets and property entrusted to it. Management would follow principles of autonomy, quality, effectiveness, efficiency, equity, humanity, community participation, productivity, accountability, solidarity, sustainability and transparency. Information on hospital and board decisions and actions would be publicly accessible through technology platforms created by the Government Innovation Authority (Autoridad de Innovación Gubernamental).

As a second-level public hospital, it would provide preventive, curative and rehabilitation care. It would also undertake health staff training, medical internships and residencies, research, health promotion, disease prevention, emergency response, and patient quality and safety measures. The bill includes person-centered care and engagement with the community among its functions.

The board would be chaired by the Minister of Health or a designee. Its other members would include the Director of the Panamá Oeste Health Region and representatives of physicians, administrative and support staff, community organizations, the business sector, and patient and user associations. The bill provides for alternates, appointment and revocation procedures, a public drawing for community representatives, unpaid service by specified members, and residence requirements in the District of La Chorrera. Members other than the specified health authorities would serve for three (3) years and could be reelected for only one additional term. The bill sets disqualifications based on family relationships or ties to suppliers, employment incompatibilities, and grounds for ending service, including revocation, specified convictions and unjustified absences.

The board’s powers would include adopting regulations and manuals, setting policy, appointing medical leadership, and approving the organizational structure, work plan, budget and financial statements. It would oversee budget implementation and approve specified agreements, contracts and appointments. The structure would be developed with the Medical Director and the Office of Organization and Institutional Development (Oficina de Organización y Desarrollo Institucional) of the Ministry of Health. The board would also approve urgent expenditures above thirty thousand balboas (B/. 30,000.00), seek funding and donations, set service fees on the Medical Director’s recommendation, and issue an annual accountability report. It would elect its officers each year, meet ordinarily once a month, and decide by a majority of those present under the stated quorum rule. Representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas) and the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic (Contraloría General de la República) would attend with speaking rights.

The board would appoint the Medical Director and Deputy Medical Director for five (5) years, extendable for one additional term following a favorable performance review. The bill sets Panamanian nationality, residence, professional qualification and experience requirements, as well as family relationship restrictions. The Medical Director would oversee care and administration, submit plans and reports, manage personnel and apply sanctions under the human resources regulations. The director could authorize expenditures up to thirty thousand balboas (B/. 30,000.00) and seek approval for direct purchases and urgent expenditures above that amount. The deputy would replace the director during temporary and unforeseen absences. The bill sets grounds for removing both officials and provides for their suspension while investigations continue. Its provisions concern the named health and oversight authorities, hospital personnel, patients, community organizations and the business sector in Panamá Oeste.