HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0235.003 2008-2010
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HAWAII HEALTH SYSTEMS
7 C O R P O R A T 1 0 N
"Touching Lives Every Day"
Hawai' i County Council
333 Kilauea Avenue
(Ben Franklin Building)
Second Floor, Council Room
Hilo, Hawai'i
Wednesday. April 8, 2009
10:00 am.
Comm. 235: REQUEST FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT TOWARDS THE RURAL
FAMILY PRACTICE RESIDENCY PROGRAM
From Council Member Dennis Onishi, dated March 25, 2009, requesting financial support
for the Rural Family Practice Residency Program, which is a campaign to attract, train, and
retain physicians and other medical professionals to the Big Island.
By Howard Ainsley
East Hawaii Regional CEO
Hawaii Health Systems Corporation (HHSC)
On behalf of the East Hawaii region of Hawaii Health Systems (HHSC), thank you
for the opportunity to provide testimony in support of Communication 235: Request for
Financial Support towards the Rural Family Practice Residency Program.
This multi-disciplinary program is one of the best solutions to providing future
physicians on our island. Is this going to solve our doctor shortage overnight? Absolutely
not. But it is one piece of the puzzle that will make it easier in the long run. Currently, our
community has 25 family practice physicians, most of whom are age 50 and older. Four of
these physicians are 60 years of age and are planning to retire this year.
Nationwide, there are two specialists for every family practitioner or internist.
Creating and expanding a residency program is by far the best bang for our buck as far as
how we get and keep doctors in this State. The single strongest determining factor of
where you practice in the future is where you did your residency.
The physician shortage simply means that we are seeing diminished efforts toward
disease prevention, screening, early diagnosis and treatment. Healthcare indicators for
chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease illustrate that our community is getting
increasingly sicker.
1190 Waianuenue Avenue • I ilo, 11196720 - PHONE: (808) 9744729 • FAX: (808) 974-4746
HILO - HONOKAA• KAU - KONA• KOHALA- WAIMEA • KAPAA- WAILUKU- KULA- LANAI- IIONOLIILU
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Hilo Medical Center is invested in this program to train physicians and other
healthcare professionals because we see the effects of the physician shortage first-hand.
This year, our Emergency Department is projected to see over 35,000 visitors, an increase
of about 2,000 patients since last year. Along with this increase, we are experiencing a
higher hospitalization rate, more intense treatment for patients, and a higher, overall cost to
our system.
Our community physicians' patient loads are so heavy same-day appointments are
a rarity. If patients are too sick and cannot wait for the next available appointment, they are
instructed to go to our Emergency Department. This is not the best option for delivering
healthcare. Our Emergency Department physicians are trained in providing emergency
care rather than family practice. Our community truly deserves better healthcare.
The projected shortage of physicians in our State can only be addressed by
expanding post graduate training programs. Again, it is an established fact that physicians
will ultimately practice near where they completed their residency. That is why an
investment in this program is so important.
Your support for Communication 235 is greatly appreciated.