Da hospitals on da Hawaii Island goin’ get one big kine help wit more state money fo’ take care odda growin’ health care needs. ??
Da state Legislature wen give Hilo Medical Center, da bigges’ hospital on da island, $50 million fo’ da long-time-coming expansion project, cuz dey stay ova capacity. An’ da Legislature also wen give Kona Community Hospital $18.5 million fo’ fix da urgent kine infrastructure needs. ??
Gov. Josh Green gotta sign off on top da state budget dat get da money, an’ he stay supporting da funds fo’ both hospitals on da Hawaii Island. ?️?
Dan Brinkman, da big boss of Hilo Medical Center, stay stoked an’ tankful fo’ da good news. ??
Fo’ da las’ five years, Brinkman been pushing fo’ add one new wing to da hospital cuz mo’ people stay movin’ in an’ get plenny olda patients coming. Hilo Medical Center neva get biggah since dey wen build ’em in 1985. ??
“Da money fo’ expand Hilo Medical Center stay huge fo’ our communities in East Hawaii an’ fo’ Hawaii Island,” Brinkman wen say in one news release. “We stay excited fo’ da bettah care we can give our ohana, friends, an’ neighbors. We gotta start building already!” ??
If all stay good, dey goin’ start building da new wing in early 2024, get 19 mo’ ICU beds an’ 36 mo’ patient beds ova one parking garage. Right now, Hilo Medical Center get 166 patient beds an’ 11 ICU beds. ??️
Brinkman tink da expansion goin’ be enough fo’ da community fo’ da next 15 to 20 years. ⏰?
Ova at Kona Community Hospital, da $18.5 million goin’ help fix da real needed kine infrastructure stuff, said da CEO Clayton McGhan. ??
Da hospital goin’ use most of da money — $16.2 million — fo’ fix an’ replace important kine tings like da HVAC system, da central utility plant, an’ odda building needs. ?️?
Early dis year, McGhan wen beg fo’ dis “risk of closure” kine infrastructure fixin’ fo’ da almost 50-year-old building. ??
Da hospital needed fo’ fix da heating, ventilation, an’ air-conditioning system so dey can keep da operating room running wit da right kine climate control, o’ else dey goin’ lose da “Level III trauma” designation. ?️?
Da odda $2.3 million goin’ help wit one odda critical need: make da pharmacy biggah fo’ get one place fo’ mix drugs needed fo’ cancer patients. Dey need dis fo’ stay up to da rules an’ keep giving care to da hundreds of cancer patients on da west side of da Hawaii Island. ??⚕️
“We stay happy dat our state lawmakers undastand how important our hospital stay in our community an’ dey wen give us all da money we wen ask fo’ dis legislative session,” McGhan wen say in one news release. “Our awesome staff at Kona Community Hospital been working hard fo’ make da equipment an’ facilities last longa an’ still give top-notch care. Da $18.5 million goin’ let us make da necessary fixes so our workers can focus on wat dey do best: give quality, caring help fo’ our ohana, friends, an’ neighbors.” ??
On top of dat, da state in April wen let go $1.5 million in general obligation bond funds fo’ help Hilo Medical Center replace two chillers, an’ $2.5 million in general obligation bond funds fo’ replace da oncology facility at Kona Community Hospital. ??
“Hilo Medical Center an’ Kona Community Hospital provide da real important health care services fo’ da people of Hawaii Island, an’ since I wen work as one ER doc on da island befo’, dis stay real close to my heart,” Gov. Green wen say in one statement. “Dis money goin’ help make da facilities bettah fo’ continue taking care of da patients.” ??
Both Hilo Medical Center an’ Kona Community Hospital stay part of da Hawaii Health Systems Corp., one public organization da state wen set up in 1996 fo’ provide health care all ova da state. ?️?
Even tho’ still get some medical needs dat goin’ need flyin’ out, da people who support da money say dat if da neighbor islands get all da stuff fo’ take care of dea own communities, den no need stress out ova flyin’ patients to Oahu, an’ dat goin’ cut down da extra cost an’ risks. ??️
So, da big kine money fo’ da Hawaii Island hospitals stay coming, an’ dat goin’ make plenny bettah health care fo’ all da local ohana, friends, an’ neighbors. Chee hoo! ??
NOW IN ENGLISH
?? Hawaii Island Hospitals Score Big Time: Nearly $70M for Better Health Care ??
Hawaii Island hospitals are about to receive a significant boost in state funding to address growing health care needs. ??
The state Legislature has awarded Hilo Medical Center, the largest hospital on the island, $50 million for its long-awaited expansion project due to overcapacity. The Legislature also granted Kona Community Hospital $18.5 million for urgently needed infrastructure repairs. ??
Governor Josh Green must sign off on the state budget that includes the funding, and he has publicly expressed his support for both hospitals on Hawaii Island. ?️?
Dan Brinkman, the CEO of Hilo Medical Center, is excited and grateful for the good news. ??
For the past five years, Brinkman has been advocating for the addition of a new wing to the hospital due to a growing population and an influx of elderly patients. Hilo Medical Center hasn’t expanded its capacity since its construction in 1985. ??
“The funding for the expansion of Hilo Medical Center is a huge win for our communities in East Hawaii and for Hawaii Island,” Brinkman said in a news release. “We are excited about the improvements in care we can offer our family, friends, and neighbors. We need to get busy building!” ??
With approval, construction is expected to begin in early 2024 on a new wing offering 19 more ICU beds and 36 additional patient beds above a parking garage. Currently, Hilo Medical Center has 166 patient beds and 11 ICU beds. ??️
Brinkman believes the expansion will meet the needs of the community for the next 15 to 20 years. ⏰?
At Kona Community Hospital, the $18.5 million will help with badly needed infrastructure repairs, according to CEO Clayton McGhan. ??
The hospital plans to use the majority of the funds — $16.2 million — to repair and replace crucial infrastructure such as the HVAC system, central utility plant, and other building needs. ?️?
Earlier this year, McGhan had pleaded for these “risk of closure” infrastructure repairs for the nearly 50-year-old facility. ??
The hospital needed to repair its heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system to keep its operating room running with climatized control or risk losing its “Level III trauma” designation. ?️?
The remaining $2.3 million will go to another critical need: expansion of the pharmacy to include a compounding facility that can mix drugs needed for cancer patients. This is needed for regulatory compliance and to continue providing cancer care to hundreds of patients on Hawaii Island’s west side. ??⚕️
“We are pleased that our state lawmakers recognize the essential role our hospital has in our community and are fully funding our request this legislative session,” McGhan said in a news release. “Our extraordinary staff at Kona Community Hospital have worked hard to extend the life of our equipment and facilities while ensuring exceptional care. The $18.5 million will allow us to make necessary repairs so that our employees can focus on what they do best: providing quality, compassionate care for our families, friends, and neighbors.” ??
Additionally, the state in April released $1.5 million in general obligation bond funds to help Hilo Medical Center replace two chillers, and $2.5 million in general obligation bond funds to replace the oncology facility at Kona Community Hospital. ??
“Hilo Medical Center and Kona Community Hospital provide crucial health care services for the residents of Hawaii Island, and as a former ER doctor on the island, they are close to my heart,” Governor Green said in a statement. “These funds will help upgrade the facilities to continue serving their patients.” ??
Both Hilo Medical Center and Kona Community Hospital are part of the Hawaii Health Systems Corp., a public organization established by the state in 1996 to provide health care statewide. ?️?
While there will still be certain medical needs requiring transport to other islands, supporters of the funding said that if neighbor islands are equipped to serve their own communities, it would reduce the stress of flying patients to Oahu, which comes with additional costs and risks. ??️
So, the significant funding for Hawaii Island hospitals is on its way, and that will result in better health care for all the local families, friends, and neighbors. Chee hoo! ??
