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The other thing is, as far as the trees go, yeah, I really do want to save those trees because I do
<br />like the ‘ina and I want to make sure that we preserve as much as we can.
<br />And for the other person, I don’t know where she went, but -.
<br />PUBLIC: Her baby was crying.
<br />SUGAI: Oh, yeah, her doctor is Dr. Herd and he is located in a small little cottage, modified
<br />cottage, which is just at the entrance of this project. He is employed by Ali‘i Health Care, which
<br />is a subsidiary of the hospital. And he will be probably moved into one of these buildings once
<br />the property is developed. And that’s why it’s important that we move on this project as soon as
<br />possible so we can alleviate the shortage of doctors. Again, we are looking for a partner for Dr.
<br />Herd, but in that small little cottage, which is I think only about 20 by 20, you cannot fit two
<br />people in there. He really needs a partner. In fact, we all need a partner over here.
<br />And some of the other reasons that we have a hard time attracting doctors, yes, is a
<br />reimbursement issue. For example, just my practice alone, I’m up to 80 percent Medicaid right
<br />now; Medicaid pays only about 50 cents on a dollar compared to HMSA. And, yeah, I’m hurting
<br />too, but, you know, that’s the way it goes in medicine. So reimbursement is a major issue.
<br />However, I’ve been on the MEC, the Medical Executive Committee, which interviews and goes
<br />through all these applicants, for the last 23 years at Kona Hospital, so I’ve gone through literally
<br />dozens and dozens and dozens of doctors. But we can, for every ten we interview, or maybe 20
<br />we interview, one decides to come here, and of that one that comes here, they often times last
<br />only a year or two because, again, of the difficulties of practicing medicine in Kailua-Kona
<br />because there is no place to really practice.
<br />And again, just the drive from my office down in Kailua in an emergency to try and get to the
<br />hospital, takes such a long time. Especially in the afternoon, it becomes really difficult to try and
<br />get anything done. I’ve lost patients because I couldn’t get to the hospital on time – that’s the
<br />worst thing. I’ve already told the Police that I would prefer a ticket at the hospital rather than
<br />losing a patient, you know, I told them before, “Give me a ticket, if you see me speeding.” I
<br />mean it’s that bad. And that’s why if I -. In fact, just the other week, Dr. Herd was able to save
<br />a baby because he is located right across the street from the hospital; there was an emergency, he
<br />ran right over, saved the baby’s life, and walked back to his office after he’d done his job. And
<br />that’s exactly what these buildings should do; they should house the doctors where there is an
<br />emergency and we can get to our patients as quickly as possible. I think that’s all I have to say.
<br />You know, I have to go to my office unfortunately – yeah, beat traffic.
<br />HOUSEL: Yeah, thank you, Dr. Sugai.
<br />SUGAI: I have to go. Thank you.
<br />FUKE: And so, on that note, Mr. Chairman, I’d like to just kind of now respond specifically to
<br />the proposed condition, I mean, you know, that the staff is suggesting. And I recognize the Kona
<br />CDP and the concurrency requirement, etc. So here you have a situation you’re going to have to
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