STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1225

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 69

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 69, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH CARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to improve access to health care statewide, especially in our rural, underserved areas by directing the State Health Planning and Development Agency (SHPDA) to develop and maintain a statewide comprehensive health care workforce map and database to:

(1)  Compile and analyze existing data on the supply and distribution of all health care practitioners, technicians, and other health care workers by specialty and practice location;

(2)  Develop a plan to collect and systematically update data; and

(3)  Project and develop a plan to meet future health care workforce needs.

     The Hawaii Medical Service Association, Hawaii Pacific Health, Mayor of the County of Hawaii, and an concerned individual supported this bill.  The Hawaii Medical Association supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of Health and Department of Human Services submitted comments.

     Your Committee finds that a health care workforce map and database is an essential tool in providing data critical to understanding our workforce needs.  It is encouraging that this project is becoming a reality.  To assist in illustrating the actual areas affected by identified health care workforce shortages and to raise public awareness, your Committee finds that as the development of the map and database progresses, the use of satellite imagery such as what is available now on the Internet may be worthy of consideration.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Removing SHPDA as the agency responsible for the development and maintenance of the health care workforce map and database;

(2)  Providing for the development of projections through 2020 of the health care workforce supply and demand to identify shortages;

(3)  Ensuring that data collected is accurate and secure and that data specific to any practitioner will be disclosed only with the express written consent of the practitioner;

(4)  Inserting an appropriation of $500,000 for fiscal year 2007-2008 and the same sum for fiscal year 2008-2009; and

(5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for 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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 69, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 69, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Labor & Public Employment.

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

____________________________

JOSHUA B. GREEN, M.D., Chair