HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0083.008 2012-2014 Page 1 of 1
Murashige, Laura
Cr t.44.
From: Sharon Vitousek [vitousek @nhop.org]
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2013 9:14 AM
To: Hawaii County Council
Subject: Testimony in support of CC resolution 41 13 vitousek.1.21.13 -
Attachments: Testimony in support of CC resolution 41 13 vitousek.1.21.13.doc
Dear Sirs,
Please accept my testimony in support of Resolution 41 to be heard on Wednesday Jan 23 .
I will do my best to be present to provide a verbal summary of my support. V
Thank you
Sharon Vitousek MD
v:
Comm. No. /�`3'
Ref. To: �/ � G.1
Ref. Date JAN 2 3 2013
1/22/2013
Date: January 23, 2013, 9:00 AM
To: Hawaii County Council
From: Sharon Vitousek MD,
Re: Resolution 41: A Resolution Urging the Legislature to Appropriate Funds for the Hawaii
Health Systems Corporation Primary Care Training Program
In Support
Chairs & Committee Members:
I strongly support Resolution 41 for the following reasons:
• Resolution 41 supports improved access to healthcare, by supporting a proven
effective physician recruitment and retention strategy, Nationally and locally about
70 96 of residents stay and practice where they train.
• Resolution 41 effectively addresses the severe access to primary care problem
resulting from the severe healthcare provider shortage in the rural areas of Hawaii
State and Hawaii County. The HHSC Primary Care Training Program will train four
new primary care providers each year and most are likely to remain and practice on
Hawaii Island. This will improve access to high quality primary care, and therefore
improve prevention, detection, and management of chronic diseases such as
diabetes, heart disease and stroke. (These diseases are currently disproportionately
high on Hawaii Island.) Reducing the onset and advancement of chronic diseases on
the neighbor islands will eventually reduce the high cost of healthcare by reducing
potentially avoidable emergency room and hospital utilization. (This is also currently
disproportionately high on Hawaii Island.) Rural Residency programs have been
shown to have a positive return on investment in other states and are frequently
supported by other states for that reason.
Thank you for the opportunity to support this important resolution.
Sincerely,
Sharon H. Vitousek MD, Kamuela
Hawaii Island Healthcare Alliance, Chair; Hawaii Island Beacon Community Chair
North Hawaii Outcomes, Director