STAND. COM. REP. 1538

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.R. No. 81

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.R. No. 81 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION URGING HAWAII HEALTH SYSTEMS CORPORATION AND ST. FRANCIS HEALTHCARE SYSTEM TO CONTINUE THEIR PARTNERSHIP IN SERVING THE NEEDS OF DIALYSIS PATIENTS IN HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this resolution is to ensure that the lifesaving procedure of dialysis continues to be accessible and available for Hawaii's residents by urging the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation (HHSC) and St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii (St. Francis) to continue the partnership and other agreements that are currently in effect, until medical advances and new technology can better serve Hawaii's hemodialysis patients.

St. Francis testified in support of this measure. HHSC supported this measure with amendments.

 

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting language that:

(1) More accurately reflects the relationship between St. Francis and the State by clarifying that the State has provided substantial funding for construction of new dialysis facilities and the renovation of existing dialysis treatment centers;

(2) States that HHSC supports and encourages the important dialysis services that St. Francis provides to patients served by one or more of the 12 public hospitals of HHSC;

(3) Urges St. Francis to continue its commitment of resources to the dialysis program to upgrade those services and increase access to dialysis care, particularly on the neighbor islands; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 81, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 81, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

 

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair