Help Urged For Wahiawa General
The Hawaii House Health committee passed a resolution calling for immediate聽financial assistance to the struggling nonprofit hospital.
Supporters聽turned out in force at the state Capitol聽Wednesday to ask lawmakers to approve of a resolution requesting the governor and the Legislature to provide emergency financial assistance to Wahiawa General Hospital.
聽was introduced by Rep. Marcus Oshiro, the Democrat who represents the area.
Wahiawa General, according to the hospital, was established more than 70 years ago as an independent nonprofit.聽About聽85 percent of its patients depend on聽Medicare and Medicaid, but the government insurance payments “do not cover the cost of caring for these patients” and the hospital has suffered聽in recent years.
鈥淎s a stand-alone, Wahiawa is facing financial and operational problems that create an extreme danger of closure within six to nine months without financial assistance from the Legislature and governor鈥檚 office,鈥 said CEO Don Olden said in testimony.
鈥淲ahiawa General Hospital serves as a safety net for the community. Without our services, the people of the communities will suffer,鈥 added聽Susan Rich, a聽registered nurse administrator.
The resolution explains that,聽with the reopening of Queen鈥檚 Medical Center West in the area in May 2014, the聽Wahiawa General has suffered a 14 percent reduction in patient revenues leading to a $7.5 million drop in revenue. The hospital聽has been forced to cut programs and staff to聽survive.
Among those turning聽out for the resolution’s hearing was Eva Gallegos, an RN at Queen’s. She聽said if Wahiawa General聽closes, “It’s going to make it tougher on the other hospitals since they are already putting patients in hallways and small closet size rooms due to the overcrowding in the ER.”
HCR 118 now heads to House Finance for consideration.
