The downgrade by the Joint Commission and the resulting loss of federal funds, has been long in the making, as the Calvo administration, the Guam Legislature and the GMH administration blamed each other for what seemed increasingly to be an inevitable result, following surveys conducted in August 2017 and January of this year.
GMH was stripped of its accreditation effective July 16.
The governor's office communications shop was uncharacteristically quiet about the development, though Governor Calvo did local TV interviews blaming the legislature for failing to adequately fund the hospital.
The GMH Board of Trustees issued a statement regarding the denial, saying that despite the move, GMH continues to deliver on its commitment and mission to provide quality patient care services.
The hospital is still waiting on a review of a plan of action to correct a list of deficiencies noted during a recent unannounced survey by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare. Loss of CMS certification could result in the suspension of millions of dollars in federal funds for the hospital.