STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1714

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.C.R. No. 117

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 117 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO ESTABLISH A STATE TRAUMA SYSTEM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to request the Department of Health to establish a State Trauma System.

     Specifically, this measure requests the Department of Health to begin preparations to establish a State Trauma System that includes:

     (1)  A State Trauma Advisory Committee;

     (2)  A system-wide trauma performance improvement plan;

     (3)  A statewide trauma registry;

     (4)  County Trauma Audit Committees to address system issues and coordinate performance improvement plans;

     (5)  A process to provide comprehensive outreach for trauma care hospitals;

     (6)  Designating the Queen's Medical Center as a Level I trauma center;

     (7)  Developing Maui Memorial Medical Center as a Level III trauma center, with plans to upgrade to a Level II trauma center within five to ten years;

     (8)  Developing a Level III trauma center on Hawaii and Kauai; and

     (9)  Incorporating existing medical expertise at the Queen's Medical Center, as the lead trauma center, to provide medical leadership to trauma system performance improvement.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by Hawaii Pacific Health, the Hawaii Medical Association, the Hawaii Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Queen's Medical Center, and two concerned physicians.  The Department of Health submitted comments on this measure.

     Your Committee finds that injury is the leading cause of death for people between the ages of one to forty-four in Hawaii.  However, the absence of comprehensive trauma care facilities throughout the State has created a public health crisis in Hawaii.  Your Committee further finds that an insufficient trauma care system decreases the State's health care capability and the overall health of the residents of the State.  Additionally, a limited trauma care system decreases the State's ability to respond to unforeseen disasters and emergencies by limiting the ability of the health care system to respond to a surge in the demand for trauma care.

     Your Committee suggests that the Committee on Finance discuss with the proponents of this concurrent resolution whether the current reports from the Department of Health are sufficient with respect to establishing a State Trauma System.

     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.C.R. No. 117 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JOHN MIZUNO, Acting Chair & Vice Chair