STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1682

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.C.R. No. 199

S.D. 2

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 199, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU TO COORDINATE STUDIES, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF THE PHYSICIAN ON-CALL CRISIS ON THE QUEEN'S MEDICAL CENTER TRAUMA CENTER TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES IN THE STATE OF HAWAII AND TO RECOMMEND ANY APPROPRIATE GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE SECTOR RESPONSES TO THE "ON-CALL" CRISIS TO ENSURE CONTINUED ACCESS TO TRAUMA LEVEL CARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to evaluate the impact of the physician "on-call" crisis on the Queen's Medical Center Trauma Center's ability to provide emergency medical services.

Specifically, the Department of Health is requested to conduct an analysis of the "on-call" crisis including:

(1) A description of the on-call issue and its impact on the Level II Trauma Center;

(2) Identification of the factors that have contributed to the on-call issue becoming a crisis;

(3) The response of The Queen's Medical Center to address this crisis and keep the Trauma Center operational;

(4) The role of the Trauma Center in the state comprehensive emergency medical services system;

(5) A description of the impact, if any, of the on-call crisis on the delivery of non-trauma emergency medical services at select hospitals across the State including neighbor island hospitals; and

(6) An analysis of how the decision to transfer patients is made, including a description of the transfer process, and recommendations to improve this process, if any, to enhance patient outcomes.

The Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to identify and analyze any appropriate government response to the on-call crisis including:

(1) The experience and response of other states and cities facing a similar on-call crisis;

(2) Options to address trauma/emergency department medical services that go uncompensated;

(3) Options to address liability concerns faced by on-call physicians; and

(4) An analysis that looks at the pros and cons of mandating that physicians "take call" in order to:

(A) Obtain or maintain a license to practice medicine in the State of Hawaii; or

(B) Receive privileges to admit patients to a hospital located in the State of Hawaii.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 199, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 199, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair