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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.R. NO.              
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     HOUSE  RESOLUTION
REQUESTING A PLAN TO IMPROVE EMERGENCY SERVICES IN THE HANA,
   MAUI, COMMUNITY.



 1       WHEREAS, the Hana Community Health Center (Health Center)
 2   has access to a fixed-wing aircraft to transport patients to
 3   Maui Memorial Hospital for emergency care; and
 4   
 5       WHEREAS, there is one fixed-wing plane located in Maui
 6   County which is sometimes inaccessible due to the time of day
 7   or night of the emergency, the number of other calls, and
 8   whether or not the plane is being shared; and
 9   
10       WHEREAS, patients wait between three to four hours, on
11   average, for air transport, but sometimes wait up to eight
12   hours as well; and
13   
14       WHEREAS, helicopter services is the preferred method of
15   transporting patients because it is quicker, can land at the
16   Health Center, and ambulances do not have to transport patients
17   to the air field; and
18   
19       WHEREAS, aside from air transportation, the Health Center
20   still needs additional staff to provide back-up for a transport
21   system; and
22   
23       WHEREAS, the Health Center would like to maintain physician
24   coverage 24-hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week, for emergency or urgent
25   care; and
26   
27       WHEREAS, after-hour emergency personnel is lacking, and
28   increased physician coverage is needed because there are
29   limitations to services that paramedics can provide; and
30   
31       WHEREAS, Maui County, Maui Visitor's Bureau, and the Hawaii
32   Tourism Authority promotes and advertises Hana, Maui, as a
33   major visitor destination; and
34   
35       WHEREAS, there are an estimated half a million tourists
36   visiting Hana, Maui, per year, some of whom visit the Health
37   Center for emergency care; and
38   
39       WHEREAS, the tourism industry has a vested interest in the
40   safety of its visitors, yet has failed to contribute and
41   support the Health Center; now, therefore,

 
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                                  H.R. NO.              
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1       BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
 2   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
 3   of 2000, that the Emergency Medical Services System (EMSS)
 4   Branch of the Department of Health is requested to develop a
 5   plan to improve emergency services in the Hana, Maui,
 6   community, including the use of air ambulance services; and
 7   
 8       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the EMSS Branch is requested to
 9   convene a working group to develop the plan and to include but
10   not be limited to:
11   
12       (1)  A representative from the Health Center;
13   
14       (2)  A representative from the Department of Housing and
15            Human Concerns of Maui County;
16   
17       (3)  A representative from the Maui Visitor's Bureau;
18   
19       (4)  A representative from the Hawaii Tourism Authority;
20            and
21   
22       (5)  Residents of Hana, Maui;
23   
24   and
25   
26       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the that EMSS Branch submit the
27   findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than
28   twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of
29   2001; and
30   
31       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
32   Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health, the Mayor
33   of Maui County, and the Executive Directors of the Health
34   Center, the Maui Visitor's Bureau, and the Hawaii Tourism
35   Authority.
36 
37 
38 
39                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________