STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1771

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  H.C.R. No. 12
                                        H.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was
referred H.C.R. No. 12, H.D. 1, entitled: 

     "HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE ON
     AGING, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HOSPICE HAWAII, TO EDUCATE
     HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON THE BENEFITS
     OF HOSPICE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to urge the Executive Office
on Aging, in partnership with Hospice Hawaii, to educate
healthcare providers and the general public on the benefits of
hospice.

     The intent of this measure is to ease the dying days of a
terminally ill patient.  Hospice care ameliorates the suffering
of end of life care and assuages the emotional distress of
relatives of hospice patients.  The Governor's Blue Ribbon Panel
on Living and Dying with Dignity unanimously recommended, among
other things, that hospice care be made more available and
offered more expediently to the dying.

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from the
Executive Office on Aging, the Commission on Persons with
Disabilities, the Hawaii Medical Association, and the Hawaii
Catholic Conference.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1771
                                   Page 2


report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of
H.C.R. No. 12, H.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Health and Human
                                   Services,



                                   ______________________________
                                   SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
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