HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0843.020 2018-2020 COUNTY CLERK
COUNTY OF HAWAII
RECEIVED
Time 1:20,001 BY March 20, 2020
To: Hawaii County Council Date MAR 2 0 2020
RE: Emergency Meeting Testimony
As a local healthcare provider working in a large multi-specialty practice, I would like to share my concerns
regarding Hawaii county's (and specifically West Hawaii's) lack of response to provide appropriate COVID-
19 containment and mitigation procedures.
Testing has been inadequate.Although the DOH established a process of identifying "Persons Under
Investigation" early, the criteria to obtain testing through DOH was stringent and many possible cases did
not qualify to be tested. Our local private labs quickly established means for testing to be done apart from
DOH but due to shortages and backorders of PPE, licensed HCPs are still unable to provide testing because
there is no way to adequately protect the clinician screening patients and collecting the swabs from
individuals suspected to harbor the virus. Case in point, my employer Ali'i Health Center is ready and willing
to set up a drive-through testing station at Keauhou Shopping Center. We have the swabs and appropriate
medium, healthcare professionals to conduct screening/order test/collection of swabs (physicians, nurse
practitioners, physician assistants, RNs) - but not enough masks, gowns, and eyewear to permit running a
testing site with adequate reserve for normal outpatient clinic operations. Faced with the same PPE
limitations, Kona Community Hospital is unable to conduct testing for outpatients or share PPE with us.
Without knowing how many cases there are in Hawaii county, we are unable to isolate and contain the
spread of the virus. We also must be weary that a negative test does not guarantee the person is not
infected because the sensitivity of the PCR test is only about 70% (meaning up to 30%of tests can result in
a false negative result). Development and fast tracking of an antibody screening test would yield more
definitive results.
We must slow the number of imported cases in Hawaii county by mandating a 14-day quarantine for ALL
visitors, both international and mainland travelers.Screening at the airports is ineffective as it is now widely
accepted in the medical community that asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic infected individuals can still
shed the virus. While it requires federal oversight to stop flights, the state can deter visitors from jumping
on cheap flights from areas with community-acquired infections by mandating a quarantine period. Hawaii
residents returning home must also follow the same quarantine procedures.
Please help our county's healthcare system to create innovative partnerships to appropriately identify and
contain positive cases to mitigate the spread of this pandemic on our island.
Anne Broderson,APRN
Ali'i Health Center—Cardiology.
808-430-1166 abroderson@aliihealth.com
The following individuals have reviewed the above testimony and would like to be listed on this
correspondence to show their support:
Clayton McGhan,Ali'i Health Center CEO
Lei Cataraha,Ali'i Health Center Director of Operations
Dr. Nathan Tomita, DO,Ali'i Health Center Medical Director
Comm. No. CbO'1b
Ref. To: P[council
ouncil
Ref. Date MAR 2 0 ?OM