STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2230

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 2485
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was
referred S.B. No. 2485 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR END-OF-LIFE
     CARE EDUCATION OF PHYSICIANS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to make an appropriation for
end-of-life care education of physicians.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Executive Office on Aging, Hawaii Nurses' Association,
Hawaii Catholic Conference, and Hawaii Medical Association.

     The American Medical Association has developed the EPEC
Project, "Education of Physicians on End-of-Life Care".  The
Hawaii Nurses' Association described the project as being "a
wonderful program."  EPEC is designed to help physicians take
care of their responsibility as physicians to develop quality
end-of-life care.  EPEC will equip physicians with a core of base
knowledge and skills to improve competence and confidence,
strengthen physician-patient relationships, and enhance personal
satisfaction with end-of-life care.  The Executive Office on
Aging will provide that education with the funding under this
measure.

     The end of a person's life is one of the most important
times in life.  Physicians need to be competent in that care.
The ultimate goal is to relieve suffering and improve the quality

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2230
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of life for patients going through end-of-life care and those who
live with them.

     Your Committee agrees with the testimony of the Hawaii
Nurses' Association that other avenues of funding should be
pursued, such as grants and the coordination of funding efforts
with professional organizations, health care institutions, and
providers in hospice care and long-term care.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 2485 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and
be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
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