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neighborhood than the medical clinics. The sirens of ambulances traveling <br /> to Hilo Medical Center disturb the peace all day long, surely we shouldn't <br /> move or close down the hospital! Previous testimony has been presented <br /> that loud disruptive behavior at night, prostitution, property crimes and <br /> drug dealing have occurred on the vacant lot. I won't ask for a show of <br /> hands, but does any Councilperson really believe that the patients, doctors <br /> and nurses are responsible for that criminal behavior. Isn't it likely that the <br /> County of Hawaii's decision to site a correctional institution in that <br /> neighborhood more of a factor than the practice of medicine in the <br /> middle of Hilo. <br /> I really appreciate the time that the Council members have given to hear <br /> me out. I was asked if it wasn't an option to close the exiting clinics and <br /> medical practices down and reopen them somewhere in an undeveloped <br /> areas. I can share from my recent experience of serving as Chief of Staff at <br /> Hilo Medical Center that closing medical practices down is the easy part. <br /> These medical practices are actually small businesses. The hundreds of <br /> thousands of dollars lost in abandoning their current leases, building or <br /> developing new practice sites and the loss of practice income during the <br /> move, would likely bankrupt most doctors at the Punahele Professional <br /> building. If the Council wishes the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific and <br /> other adjacent medical clinic s, that could potentially impact these four <br /> homes, to move as well then the medical health care system in Hilo will be <br /> devastated. <br /> According to the Federal Food and Drug Agency about almost 10% of the <br /> total number of mammography clinics in the U.S. were lost in the last 10 <br /> years mostly due to bankruptcy. Mammography is more or less a <br /> breakeven business, with a high risk of lawsuits. Our mammography center <br /> cannot afford the cost of another move, and if we are forced to close, it <br /> <br /> will be hard to find other professionals to replace our mammography <br /> services. <br /> <br />