Specialties
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Specialties
Our commitment to specialized care ensures that every patient receives the attention, precision, and innovation they deserve. Join us on a journey through our diverse range of specialties, where your well-being is at the heart of everything we do.
Children's Clinic
Hours
Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday: For APPOINTMENTS ONLY
Contact Number
(670) 234-8951
The CHCC Children's Clinic provides primary care services and treatment for illness and injury to children and teens under 18 years old. Walk-ins are accepted on weekdays, but Saturday hours are by appointment only. Please call to schedule an appointment.
Forms
Services
Resources & Education
Dialysis Center
Hours
Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 5:30AM - 11:30PM
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday: 5:30AM - 8:30PM
CLOSED on Sunday
CLOSED on Christmas Day and New Year's Day
Contact Number
(670) 236-8303/4
(670) 234-8950
Front Office: (670) 234-8951 Ext. 3376
Station A: (670) 234-8951 Ext. 3534/5
Station B: (670) 234-8951 Ext. 3369
Our Dialysis Center is a 27 stations, CMS accredited facility that provides both inpatient and outpatient dialysis to residents of the CNMI with end-stage renal disease or who require kidney replacement therapy. The Dialysis Center offers both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, with a dedicated staff of certifed nurses and providers who tend to about 25 patients per shift.
Forms
Services
Acute dialysis
Back-up Dialysis
Inpatient dialysis
Outpatient dialysis
The Dialysis Center also has dedicated social workers on staff to provide services to patients, including:
- Monthly patient advocacy meetings
- Monthly caregiver support group meetings
- Weekly COTA passes for patients
- Peer mentoring coordination
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for chronic pain
- Pre-ESRD education classes
- Off-island dialysis arrangements
- Kidney transplant evaluation referrals
- Annual psycho-social assessments, including screening for depression and chronic kidney disease/dialysis adjustment
- Referrals to other CHCC services including the Community Guidance Center (CGC), CHCC psychiatry, and public health programs such as the betelnut and nicotine cessation program
Referrals to community-based resources including:
- Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP)
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Medicaid
- Karidat
- Office of Vocational Rehab (OVR)
- CNMI Respite Service Program
- Center for Independent Living (CIL)
- Social Security Administration, Office of Assistive Technology
- Office on Aging (OOA)
- CNMI Housing Corporation
- Northern Marianas Protection and Advocacy Systems Inc. (NMPASI)
Dietary
Hours
Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Contact Number
The Dietary Department provides nutritional services to our patients admitted to the hospital. Two clinical dietitians on staff provide nutrition assessments and education, and work closely with the rest of the dietary team to provide safe and nutritious meals to all of our patients.
Forms
Services
Resources & Education
Emergency Room
Hours
ALWAYS OPEN
Contact Number
Phone: (670) 236-8390/1
(670) 234-8951 Ext. 2360/1
The CHCC Emergency Department staff is comprised of highly trained nurses, physicians, and physician assistants who provide competent emergency, episodic, and trauma care to the residents and visitors of the CNMI. Emergency care is provided to all who seek services regardless of age, sex, disability, religious beliefs, political beliefs, cultural background, educational levels, national origin, or ability to pay.
A team of board-certified doctors, registered nurses, and other specially trained staff are available at all times to treat anyone seeking emergency medical care. Their services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Everyone can access the services of the emergency department, although persons with non-emergent care needs are encouraged to seek evaluation and treatment through the outpatient clinics as needed. The CHCC Emergency Department entryway is reserved primarily for patients arriving by ambulance. However, if a patient arrives at the ambulance bay by vehicle, a nurse from the department will meet them at the door to assist them in accessing services.
The CHCC Emergency Department has been designed to enhance every aspect of a patient-centered care experience. The clinical area features the latest technologies in healthcare to complement our world class providers.
Forms
Services
Resources & Education
Family Care Clinic
Hours
Monday - Friday: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM - BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
Contact Number
Phone: (670) 234-8951
The Family Care Clinic (FCC) is the primary care outpatient clinic for adults, and has become one of the hallmarks of the Commonwealth’s healthcare system. It is centered on its ability to provide quality health and medical services for patients. The FCC provides services such as health maintenance check-ups and treatment for various illnesses and injuries.
To ensure that you are seen quickly, it is best to make an appointment before coming in to the FCC. However, walk-ins are accepted Monday-Friday. Saturdays are by appointment only, and no walk-ins will be accepted.
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Services
Resources & Education
ICU
Hours
Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Contact Number
Phone:
The CHCC's Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a general critical care unit which caters primarily to acutely-ill individuals of all ages. Our ICU has four fully-equipped and functional rooms that can respond to a host of patients experiencing an acute medical crisis. On occasions where there exists an overflow of patients for admission under intensive care, the adjacent rooms in the Medical-Surgical Ward are then converted to ICU extension rooms.
The ICU has the capacity to perform invasive and non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring. It specifically handles all patients suffering from life-threatening conditions such as myocardial infaction, cerebrovascular accidents, shock, respiratory failure, and diabetic and renal emergencies. The ICU also responds to any cardiopulmonary emergencies within the hospital. Invasive procedures such as esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy, vascular catheter, arterial line and central line insertions are routinely done in the unit. Patients requiring life-support measures such as mechanical ventilation, external cardiac pacing, vasopressor and anti-coagulation therapy are all managed in the ICU.
The ICU prides itself on having a team of competent, committed, and dynamic individuals backed with years of clinical practice. All staff are BLS, ACLS, PALS, and NRP certified by the American Heart Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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Services
Resources & Education
Labor & Delivery
Hours
Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Contact Number
Phone:
The CHCC's Labor and Delivery Unit is located in the South wing of the hospital on the second level. Our staff consists of registered nurses and OB/GYN doctors who are entrusted with the delivery of approximately 1,000 babies each year in the CNMI. Our natural labor process is supported by the staff, and cesarean sections are available when needed. Our Labor and Delivery staff are all certified in Neonatal Resuscitation (NRP), Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).
Our unit features 4 birthing rooms where mothers can labor and deliver. Each room is equipped with a fetal monitor, a birthing bed which accommodates different labor positions, and a radiant warmer which allows babies to be assessed in the same room as the recovering Mom. Since we are a baby-friendly hospital, parents have the opportunity to provide bonding and breastfeeding with direct skin-to-skin contact with their new baby right after delivery.
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Services
Resources & Education
Laboratory
Hours
Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Contact Number
Phone: (670)234-8951 Ext. 2314/5/9
A medical laboratory is a very important and integral part of any hospital or clinic, and the CHCC is no exception. In addition to your history and a physical examination by your physician, laboratory testing provides important information about your health, and enables your physician to determine if you have an illness. The CHCC laboratory is committed to using quality systems and the latest technology to assure the best outcome when performing tests for patient diagnoses.
What are some of the tests? Your physician may order something as simple as a CBC test. This is a complete blood count. Reporting the volume and quality of blood in your body is essential to good health. There are a lot of other tests; a simple urinalysis screens the urine for any abnormal components or disease indicators. Other and sometimes more complex testing may be done through the CHCC laboratory or samples may be sent off-site for testing at another facilility.
CHCC laboratory staff are accountable for the quality and integrity of each and every specimen received in the laboratory. Each staff member maintains a high standard of practice in performing and evaluating your tests, and the lab is dedicated to ensuring safe, reliable, and cost-effective laboratory services for the CNMI community.
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Services
Resources & Education
Medical Records
Hours
Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Contact Number
Phone: (670)236-8356
The CHCC keeps complete information about all treatment and care received at our facilities. All requests for medical records must be made in writing to the Medical Records Department.
Duplication fees may apply and fees must be paid in advance. There is no charge for physicians and other health care facilities for direct patient care if medical records are sent directly to a physician or health care facility, and are requested by the physician or health care facility.
If you have any questions, please call the medical records office during regular business hours.
Services
Resources & Education
NICU
Hours
Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Contact Number
Phone:
Newborn babies requiring intensive medical attention are admitted into a special hospital nursery called the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Our NICU at the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation is an 8-bed, Level II - III nursery that combines advanced technology with skilled, trained healthcare professionals providing specialized, comprehensive medical care.
Our NICU team is BLS, PALS, ACLS, NRP certified and skilled in the immediate and advanced resuscitation of the compromised infant at birth. Infants with complicated medical or surgical conditions and requiring Level IV care are transported off-island to tertiary care centers in the Philippines and California.
Our department is committed to providing excellence in care based on professional standards that are holistic in focus and reflect an interdisciplinary approach for the optimal physical and developmental well-being of infants and their families.
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Services
Resources & Education
OB/GYN & Nursery
Hours
Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Contact Number
Phone:
The CHCC’s Obstetrics and Gynecology Division and Nursery are shared units that provide continuous coverage and care to all OB/GYN and newborn patients around the clock.
Our unit provides holistic care to all the antenatal, post-partum, and GYN cases that are admitted into the CHCC. Our prime focus is provision of all aspects of patient care needs, making referrals as needed, while promoting patient and family self-involvement in care. Since our unit is shared with the Nursery, it also provides all nursing care and services for newborns that are admitted into the Well Baby Nursery of the CHCC, whether it is routine newborn care or other supportive treatment that does not require cardiac or respiratory support.
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Services
Resources & Education
Oncology
Hours
Monday - Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Physician on call for urgent matters 24/7
Contact Number
Phone: (670) 234-8950 - ask for the Northern Marianas Oncology Center; after hours ask for the oncologist on call
(670) 234-8951 - Press 4 for the Oncology Department
Fax: (670) 233-0050
Make an appointment
Usually your primary care physician or surgeon will refer you to the Northern Marianas Oncology Center, and we will call you to schedule an appointment. If you have a cancer and do not have a regular physician, call (670) 234-8950 and ask for the Northern Marianas Oncology Center; we will obtain your records and schedule an appointment for you.
Having cancer is always life changing for patients, their families, and their close community. At the Northern Marianas Oncology Center at CHCC, we promise to provide compassionate, state-of-the-art cancer care for our patients, with the twin goals of improving quality of life and length of life. When it is possible to cure our patient’s cancer, we will put forth every effort to maximize the chance of cure. We try to understand the patient’s social situation, and how that will affect the patient’s understanding of the cancer and how treatment may affect them
In 2021, the Northern Marianas Oncology Center opened the Comprehensive Cancer Screening and Prevention Program to serve all residents living in the CNMI. The goal of the program is to screen for and prevent common cancers, so that we will have less cancer in the CNMI, and if cancer develops, it will be caught at an earlier stage. This unique program provides cancer prevention counseling and vaccines, as well as screening advice and testing, with follow-up of results. This program is available to all people who live in the CNMI. To schedule an appointment with a health care provider for a cancer screening and prevention visit, please call 670-234-8950 and ask for Oncology, or the Cancer Screening Program. Your health insurance will typically cover the cost. If no health insurance, the hospital will typically provide these services at no cost to you.
The Oncology Center also has a Palliative Care Program. For patients who have advanced cancer, we help with:
- Symptoms from the cancer, including pain
- Goals of care
- Comfort at the end of life if the end of life is near
- Medical, dietary, and social support
Our Palliative Care Program focuses on helping with these issues and more. Often, our palliative care providers and nurses can make home visits to our patients if needed.
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Services
State-of-the-art outpatient treatment right here at CHCC. We will treat a patient’s cancer with medications, when appropriate, with the goals to cure the cancer, shrink the cancer to improve quality of life, or prevent cancer from returning (relapsing) with:
- The most advanced chemotherapy treatment available
- The most advanced oral treatment targeted to cancer mutations available
- The most advanced immunotherapy treatment and treatment combinations available (stimulating the patient’s immune system to attack the cancer)
Review of tissue biopsies with our pathologists to ensure accurate diagnosis
Advanced molecular analysis of tissue biopsies that can allow for targeted treatments
Advanced imaging with CT scans, ultrasound, and x-rays to “stage” a patient’s cancer and determine how the cancer is responding to treatment
Thorough patient histories and careful exams to understand how the cancer developed, how it is affecting the patient, and to assess for possible complications of the cancer or treatment
Nutritional and healthy lifestyle counseling
Coordination of care with CHCC surgeons when surgery is appropriate
Referral to off-island radiation and specialty surgeons when appropriate, and coordination of care with off-island specialists
Comprehensive follow-up care after cancer treatment, including blood testing and imaging when appropriate
Oncology nursing team support
Advanced pharmacist team support
Access to the hospital and hospitalist team for clinical problems that cannot be treated as an outpatient
Satellite Cancer Clinics alternating monthly in Rota and Tinian (for office visits only, not treatment)
House calls to a patient's home when appropriate
Cancer symptom management
Benign hematology (blood) problems: The oncology team will also evaluate and treat patients who have complex blood disorders, even if there’s no concern that the patient has cancer
Oral Health
Hours
Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Contact Number
Phone:
Saipan: (670) 236-8369
Tinian: (670)433-9233
Rota: (670)532-9461
Our program works to promote and improve the oral health and wellness of women, infants, and children, including children with special healthcare needs, adolescents, and their families through the delivery of quality oral health care, prevention programs, and effective community partnerships. Our program works not only to serve, but educate the CNMI community about the importance of having good oral health. A healthy mouth is vital to a person's overall health and well-being.
The CHCC Dental Clinic accepts Medicaid and Dental Sliding Fee, otherwise self-pay.
Forms
Services
We offer essential preventive dental care services to keep your teeth and gums healthy:
- Oral Exams
- Prophylaxis (Cleaning)
- X-rays
- Sealant
- Fluoride Varnish/Fluoride Topical
- Silver Diamine Fluoride
We offer important curative dental treatments that help restore oral health and address existing issues:
- Fillings (Composite)
- Stainless Crown
- Pulpotomy
- Root Canal Therapy
- Root Planing/Scaling
- Extractions
- Biopsy
We also offer treatment for dental restorations to be performed under general anesthesia, if needed. (By referral)
Resources & Education
Pediatrics
Hours
Sunday - Saturday: 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Contact Number
Phone:
Only TWO (2) visitors are allowed at a time to limit crowding in the patient's room and to encourage the child to rest. No children under 12 years old are allowed to visit.
The pediatric unit provides healthcare tailored to patients under 18 years old who have medical or surgical conditions. The pediatric staff are BLS and PALS certified by American Heart Association, and the pediatric unit keeps updated with the most recent evidence-based practices and complies with CMS regulations.
The pediatric unit is located at the B-side of the CHCC main campus. The unit consists of 12 rooms equipped with either bed, crib, isolette, or warmer depending on each child's needs. Our unit strives to lessen or eliminate the children's fear and anxiety during their hospital admission, so we offer several features that may entertain and promote play. Upon entering the unit, patients and families will notice the child-friendly environment where the walls are decorated with under-the-sea themed paintings. Each room comes with an LED flat-screen television. We also have wifi, board games, video games, and both reading and coloring books.
Our unit aims to provide patient and family-centered care. We advise that either a parent or a legal guardian stay with the child to provide support and psychological comfort. Furthermore, they are encouraged to be actively involved in the patient's treatment plan. A sofa bed or reclining chair is offered for an attendant.
The unit also has 4 negative pressure isolation rooms for when a child requires respiratory isolation. Regular rooms may be used for other types of isolation like contact, droplet, or neutropenic. An isolation sign is always on the door, requiring all visitors to check with nurses for visiting instructions before entering the room. When a child is in isolation, the visiting hours remain from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
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Services
Resources & Education
Pharmacy
Hours
Monday - Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday, Sunday, and Holidays: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Contact Number
Phone: (670)236-8798
The mission of the CHCC Outpatient Pharmacy is to ensure medical compliance and improve patient outcomes by offering the best services at affordable prices for outpatient pharmaceutical products and services, as well as provide support to inpatient, outpatient, and public health clinical programs to improve the overall health of our patients.
The CHCC Outpatient Pharmacy dispenses prescription drugs for outpatient use, and offers over-the-counter drugs and other health and hygiene products. Our pharmacy staff is well-trained to accommodate customers for walk-in services and to provide information and recommendations.
The CHCC Inpatient Pharmacy serves patients who have been admitted to the hospital. The Inpatient Pharmacy procures, prepares, manages, evaluates and dispenses all medications and pharmaceutical related services to the hospital's inpatient wards, ambulatory care clinics, and public health programs. It is also responsible for providing for the Tinian Health Center and Rota Health Center.
Aims of the CHCC Pharmacy:
Provide Affordable Prescription and Over the Counter Drugs for Patients
The CHCC strives to offer customers the lowest prices possible on prescription drugs and is currently exploring discounted drug arrangements through federal programs such as the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program and the 340B discounted drug program administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The pharmacy offers a wide range of pharmaceuticals for our customers at the lowest prices possible.
Improve Patient Compliance
Current health literature describes patient non-compliance as an extremely complex web of factors tied up in patient and physician behavior, and the design of the health system itself. The asset of a pharmacy for outpatient services which functions within the CHCC's health system eases communications betweeen outpatient pharmacists and CHCC doctors to assess patient adherence.
Reduce Readmissions
Research shows that beginning long-term medication therapy while the patient is still admitted may improve adherence to those medications after the patient is discharged from the hospital. Creating an effective "meds to beds" program at the hospital and reducing the rate of patient readmissions is one goal of the CHCC outpatient pharmacy.
Improve Medication Reconciliation
Another critically important health system-related factor of patient compliance is ensuring that accurate listings of patient medications is available to medical providers treating a patient. This is important to ensure that the right medications are prescribed to the patient at the right time and aren't duplicated. Sharing data and using the same records systems between the outpatient pharmacy, clinics, and hospital improves the CHCC's ability to conduct medication reconciliation.
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Services
Here are the pharmacy services we offer to ensure your health and well-being:
- Fill prescriptions for outpatients and discharged patients in the hospital
- 340B discounted drugs for tuberculosis, HIV, and family planning
- Extemporaneous compounding of oral meds and sterile compounding of IV and ophthalmic products
- Prescription fills for Rota and Tinian
- Vaccine administration for adults
- Antibiotic Stewardship program for outpatients
- Medication Synchronization and Refill Reminders
- Public Health NCD programs for Hypertension, DM, and Tobacco Cessation
The CHCC Outpatient Pharmacy accepts most insurance plans and the CHCC sliding fee, and offers patient assistance programs for uninsured patients.
Here are the adult vaccination services we offer to help protect your health:
- Flu
- Shingrix
- Pneumovax 23
- Prevnar 13
- Tdap
- Hep A/B
- Varicella
Other travel vaccines and immunizations are available upon request.
Resources & Education
Physical Therapy
Hours
Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Contact Number
Phone: (670)236-8327/8328
(670)234-8951 Ext. 2400/2411
All physical therapy rehabilitation services require a referral from a medical provider. If you feel you need physical therapy, please contact your primary care provider.
The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation's Physical Therapy (CHCC PT) Department provides care in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Our team evaluates each patient and establishes a personalized treatment plan, which may encompass different activities and treatments such as therapeutic exercises, neuromuscular re-education, manual therapy, both mechanical and manual traction therapy, heat and cold therapy, electro therapy, ultrasound therapy, prosthetic and orthotic training, gait training, wound care, and self-care/management training.
The purpose of an established PT plan is to work towards each patient's specific goals, whether that be to improve function, minimize loss of function, or decrease risk of injury and disease.
All physical therapy rehabilitation services require a referral from a medical provider. If you feel you need physical therapy, please contact your primary care provider.
Forms
Services
Situations that may require PT include, but are not limited to:
- Acute sprains and strains
- Back pain
- Arthritis
- Brain injury
- Musculoskeletal injury
- Neurological dysfunction
- Sports Injury
- Soft tissue injuries
- Spinal cord injury
- Stroke
- Total joint replacements
- Vestibular and balance problems
Frequency and duration of therapy
Many factors, including the diagnosis, pre-exisiting conditions, and lifestyle, impact how often you will need PT and for low long. Each session will typically last from 45 minutes to 1 hour.
What to Wear to Physical Therapy
Please wear something loose and comfortable that allows the therapist a clear view of the body part that is to be treated. For example, if you have knee pain then shorts would be best.
Resources & Education
Psych
Hours
Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Contact Number
Phone:
The CHCC's Inpatient Psychiatry Unit is the only psychiatry unit in the Northern Mariana Islands. Our unit provides inpatient care for the mentally ill and patients with behavioral problems requiring hospitalization. The locked unit has an 8 bed capacity and two secured rooms. Patients that require additional medical treatment will be admitted to Medical-Surgical Unit and transferred to the Psychiatry Unit if needed only when requested by a physician.
The Psychiatric Clinic is dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness. Examples of conditions which we treat include: Depression, Anxiety, Trauma, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Drug or Alcohol Use, Behavioral Problems, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, and Relationship Problems. Treatment options might include therapy or medications or both. Our clinic seeks to serve its’ clients with integrity, compassion, competence, and diligence while upholding the utmost respect for our clients’ confidentiality. Service to our clients is our first and foremost priority and we are currently seeking to expand our services in our continual effort to better serve our community.
Adolescents requiring psychiatry treatment and hospitalization will be admitted to Pediatric Unit, while care will be provided by psychiatry nurses.
The Psychiatry Unit provides care for acute and chronic psychiatric illnesses including: schizophrenia, depression, suicidal ideation or attempt, bipolar disorder, personality disorder, epilepsy/seizure disorder, and drug abuse/addiction.
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Services
Resources & Education
Radiology
Hours
Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Contact Number
Phone: (670)234-8950
Please note that a doctor's referral is required for all diagnostic imaging procedures.
The CHCC offers a broad selection of advanced diagnostic imaging services. Highly trained professionals ensure that all CHCC imaging procedures are fast, safe, and painless to accurately and efficiently diagnose diseases in their early stages. The result: better outcomes and better health for our islands' residents and visitors.
Forms
Services
Along with standard X-Ray services, CHCC imaging services include:
- A CT (Computed Tomography) scan is a sophisticated diagnostic imaging procedure that permits cross-sectional imaging to allow physicians to see a single slice of the body - just as if you were taking a slice of bread out of a loaf. CT scans are used for diagnostic procedures that range from examining the head for bleeding or blood clots, to determining an organ's size and shape, to evaluating disease processes. Using this technology, physicians can view the inside of anatomic structures, a feat not possible with general radiography procedures. Radiation exposure is low.
- Ultrasound imaging, also known as sonography, uses sound waves to produce images of organs, vessels and tissues in the body. The procedure has many applications, including: evaluating blood flow within the heart, detecting breast cysts or gallstones, assessing the health of unborn babies, and examining the uterus, liver, kidneys, pancreas, colon and urinary bladder. During an ultrasound exam, inaudible sound waves create "echoes" as they bounce off organs and tissue, and these echoes are then converted into an image on a computer screen. It is a safe, effective form of imaging that does not produce ionizing radiation.
- Mammography is an X-Ray procedure that uses low-dose radiation to create an image of breast tissue. It is currently the best way to detect early breast cancer and improve the odds of successful treatment. A mammogram can reveal breast lumps up to two years before they can be felt. The American Cancer Society recommends that women receive a mammogram once a year after age 40, though women with significant risk factors may need to have a mammogram sooner or more often. The entire procedure, including preparation and processing the images, usually takes 40 to 60 minutes. Actual exposure time is very short.
- Fluoroscopy is a specialized diagnostic procedure that permits examination of either the large bowel or the upper gastrointestinal tract, which includes the esophagus, stomach and small intestine. A fluoroscope is an X-Ray unit combined with a television screen that allows a radiologist to observe the flow of a contrast agent called liquid barium through the part of the body being examined. A series of X-Rays are taken in different positions, and the stored images are used to diagnose diseases of the GI tract. The contrast agent passes through the body very quickly but patients are encouraged to drink plenty of water following the examination.
Resources & Education
The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) and the American College of Radiology (ACR) have developed a patient education website (www.RadiologyInfo.org) to provide additional information on diagnostic imaging and general radiology procedures.
Respiratory Health
Hours
Available 24/7
Contact Number
Phone: (670)234-8951 Ext. 2865
The Respiratory Care Department at the CHCC is comprised of a team of respiratory therapists who are all Certified Respiratory Therapists (CRT) and Registered Respiratory Therapists (RRT). They are specially trained healthcare professionals and credentialed by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) to provide advanced life support for patients that are very sick.
Our respiratory therapists at the CHCC work in all areas of the hospital, including the ER, medical and surgical units, adult and neonatal ICU, pediatrics, and labor and delivery. We care for patients by evaluating, treating, and maintaining cardiopulmonary (heart and lung) function. We attend to patients who have trouble breathing because of asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). We also provide emergency care to patients suffering from heart attacks, stroke, drowning, or shock. Our Respiratory Therapists additionally attend high risk births and deliveries to provide support for newborns that have trouble breathing, and provide airway management during off island transport of critically ill patients of all ages.
Our Respiratory Care Department also provides outpatient testing to evaluate heart and lung function, which include 24 hour Holter monitoring, cardiac stress testing via treadmill, and Pulmonary Function Tests (PFT).
Forms
Services
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
Advanced airway insertion
Airway management during off island transport of critically ill patients
Outpatient testing to evaluate heart and lung function
24 hour Holter monitoring
Resources & Education
Surgical
Hours
Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Contact Number
Phone:
The CHCC Operating Department staff is comprised of highly trained surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nurses that provide safe and competent surgical procedures to the people of the CNMI. The Operating Department has 2 main operating suites and 1 endoscopy suite that cater to general surgeries including laparoscopies, ophthalmic, endoscopies, dental restoration, and emergency surgeries, as well as a Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (Recovery Room).
Forms
Services
Resources & Education
Women's Clinic
Hours
Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Contact Number
Phone: (670)234-8950
The CHCC's Women's Clinic provides care for women of all ages - from adolescents and young adults to women who are experiencing menopause or enjoying their senior years. Our physicians believe it is a privilege to share in our patients' life changes as they grow and evolve during each stage of being a woman. Because every woman is unique and exceptional in her own way, our care is tailored to fit each patient's needs. Whether you currently only require annual exams, or you have recently become pregnant or have specific medical concerns, our doctors have the experience, expertise and desire to be a resource you can count on. Each patient presenting herself to our Women's Clinic for care will be seen by a physician, nurse practitioner, or certified nurse midwife.
The Women's Clinic is open to see both scheduled and walk-in patients. Depending on availability, walk-in patients may be asked to schedule an appointment. Our Women's Clinic provides complete gynecologic and obstetrical services. In addition, the Women's Clinic provides Family Planning Services and Rapid HIV Testing.
Medical Social Services
Hours
Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Contact Number
Phone: (670)234-8951 Ext. 2126/2445
Illness often causes many life changes for an individual, and a medical social worker can provide counseling for the patient and family to reduce anxieties and adjust to these changes. Social service programs are directed toward meeting the psychosocial needs of patients, their families, and significant others to reduce the crisis and trauma often experienced with sudden illnesses, disabilities, or hospitalization. One of the other crucial tasks of a medical social worker is discharge planning, which is the process of planning for post-hosptial care. This could mean arranging for services such as a home visit nurse, arranging for equipment like a wheelchair, or making referrals for a range of follow-up services.
Medical social wokers also have a role in aiding victims of violence, who include victims of sexual assault, child abuse, domestic violence, and elder abuse. The specific role of the social worker is in the clinical assessment, treatment, and referral (when necessary) for follow up care. Social workers also participate in developing hospital protocols for treating victims and collaborate with involved community and government agencies.
The central role of medical social workers is patient care. Medcial social workers provide patient care services to all areas of the hospital, including the inpatient wards, the outpatient clinics, and the emergency department. Medical social workers also serve on various hospital committees such as Utilization Review, Quality Assurance, and Care Transition.
Forms
Services
Common discussions that social workers engage in with patients and families include:
Our services are free and confidential.
Resources & Education