Hospitals' Administration Left With Many Uncertainties

HOSPITALS’ ADMINISTRATION LEFT WITH MANY UNCERTAINTIES

Hawai‘i Health Systems - Maui Region left with uncertainties after State and Kaiser reach no deal to transition.

WAILUKU, MAUI, Hawai‘i (29 August 2016) – After years of anticipating a transition to a private operation, and after months of closed discussions, Hawai‘i Health Systems - Maui Region learned that negotiations failed over the weekend. Kaiser Permanente has stated that it will not be able to transition to take over operations of the Maui Region until July 1, 2017.

Maui Region’s chief executive officer, Wes Lo, released the following statement:

“We are extremely disappointed with the continued delays of this transition. For years now we have known that the current business model could not sustain our hospitals while meeting the needs of our communities. We held so much hope that this transition would increase the quality of healthcare provided to our friends and family. Unfortunately, this impasse continues to chip away at our faith that this system is set up to ensure that we can provide high quality care for the long-term.

“Our Maui delegation and their colleagues worked diligently to provide our rural community with a solution to protect, preserve, and grow our care options. There cannot be enough gratitude for their leadership and understanding of Maui’s needs. Maui Region was proud to work alongside our legislators, in particular our Maui legislators to pass this legislation.

“However, once negotiations began, our Maui stakeholders were not part of the process. There has been little to no transparency. We are extremely frustrated to learn that negotiations have failed.

“Our patients, our staff, our community, and visitors have endured worry, threatened cuts and service closures for far too long, and even with the lack of urgency in settling this matter, they show up because at the end of the day, our services affect our families. They are the real heroes in this process, putting the needs of our patients above their own.

“I want to be expressly clear to our physicians, staff, patients and our families and friends that make up Maui County, our first priority is your care – we will do all we can to protect you throughout this drawn out process. We have to make some extremely tough decisions which may result in bed and specialty closures and an increased rate of transports to Honolulu facilities to deal with this shocking setback. As we continue to sort out this matter and balance the shortfalls against necessary services, we will continue to keep you informed.”

Maui Region Chair of the Board of Directors, Avery Chumbley remarked, “Maui Region’s staff and physicians have been forced to work and operate in an environment of uncertainty for far too long. Our community deserves better, and while we are disappointed the negotiation is enduring yet another setback, we remain committed to doing all we can to move this transition forward because it is in the best interest of our staff, family and friends to know that the foundation of their only acute-care option here in Maui County is stable and will be there for them for years to come.”

Hawai‘i Health Systems Corporation’s (HHSC) Chair of the Board of Directors, Carol Van Camp, said the following, “HHSC continues to be dedicated to improving healthcare delivery in all of Hawai‘i’s neighbor island communities. The HHSC Board of Directors is very disappointed that an agreement to move this important transition forward could not be reached at this time. While change of this magnitude is difficult, the HHSC Board has been and continues to be impressed with the dedication evidenced by all HHSC employees.”

About HHSC Maui Region

The Maui Region of HHSC serves over 11,000 inpatients and sees nearly 50,000 people in the emergency room each year. With over 1,500 employees, Maui Memorial Medical Center is the only full-service, acute-care medical facility in the County, and the only hospital outside of O‘ahu providing a full range of cardiac services, including open-heart surgery and angioplasty. For more information visit MauiMemorialMedical.org.