REPORT TITLE:
Lahaina Hospital


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates funds to improve emergency medical care in Lahaina
and West Maui. (SD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        196
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO HOSPITALS.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that emergency medical
 
 2 facilities in Lahaina, Maui, are insufficient for the needs of
 
 3 the community.  The Maui Medical Group and the Kaiser Permanente
 
 4 Medical Care Program are the only two primary care clinics in
 
 5 Lahaina.  If there is an emergency during off-business hours,
 
 6 residents have no choice but to be taken by one of only two
 
 7 emergency ambulances to Maui Memorial Hospital in Wailuku, a one
 
 8 hour drive during peak hours, and at least a forty-five minute
 
 9 drive during non-peak hours.  Additionally, in the case of a
 
10 severe emergency, such as a heart attack, the patient would have
 
11 to be rushed to Maui Memorial Hospital even during business hours
 
12 because the primary care clinics are only equipped with
 
13 medication and supplies for out-patient care.  Furthermore, there
 
14 is only one road between Wailuku and Lahaina, and any closure
 
15 would prevent the ambulance from reaching its destination.
 
16      In March, 1995, the State Health Planning and Development
 
17 Agency (SHPDA) produced the report "Tri-Isle Health Care Needs
 
18 Assessment."  This study was developed by the community-based
 
19 Tri-Isle Health Planning Committee and the Tri-Isle Subarea
 

 
Page 2                                                     196
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        S.D. 1
                                                        

 
 1 Health Planning Council.  The executive summary to the report
 
 2 stated, "The Lahaina area has an emerging need for a 24-hour
 
 3 emergency care center to reduce the need to use the ambulance
 
 4 unit for non-life threatening transport."
 
 5      The State commissioned the R.M. Towill Corporation to do a
 
 6 study, which resulted in a May, 1995, report, "West Maui Acute
 
 7 Care Facility Feasibility Study."  Section 5.3 of the report,
 
 8 emergency services in West Maui, stated, "Maui Island's only
 
 9 emergency room is located at Maui Memorial Hospital in Wailuku."
 
10 Referring to ambulance units, the report stated, "The West Maui
 
11 unit was added two years ago with the primary justification of
 
12 back-up coverage for times when the Lahaina unit is called out of
 
13 the region for an extended period."  A second Lahaina unit is
 
14 necessary to fill the gap in emergency services for Lahaina.
 
15      SHPDA believes that the situation in Lahaina and West Maui
 
16 has not changed significantly.
 
17      Although physicians in Lahaina could differ on whether or
 
18 not a free-standing emergency room in the area is desirable,
 
19 based on the preference for immediate access to a hospital, the
 
20 Legislature finds that a free-standing emergency facility in
 
21 Lahaina is a vast improvement over the current situation of
 
22 having no such facility.
 
23      The purpose of this Act is make an appropriation to improve
 

 
Page 3                                                     196
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        S.D. 1
                                                        

 
 1 emergency medical services in Lahaina and West Maui. 
 
 2      SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
 3 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1, or so much thereof
 
 4 as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000, to add an
 
 5 ambulance unit for Lahaina, including purchase of an ambulance
 
 6 and hiring staff.
 
 7      SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
 8 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1, or so much thereof
 
 9 as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000, to establish a
 
10 free-standing emergency room in or near Lahaina to serve the West
 
11 Maui area.
 
12      SECTION 4.  The sums appropriated shall be expended by the
 
13 Department of Health for purposes of this Act. 
 
14      SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval;
 
15 provided that sections 2 and 3 shall take effect on July 1, 1999.