HCR138

WHEREAS, access to knowledgeable and qualified medical doctors is arguably the single most important factor for people to live long and healthy lives; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii's unique geography as an island chain poses difficulties for patients seeking to access medical doctors without incurring significant travel costs; and

WHEREAS, other states with access-to-care issues in isolated communities are exploring ways to ease difficulties for both patients and medical doctors, by using methods that allow both parties to travel no further than their own neighborhoods to interact; and

WHEREAS, one approach to the access problem in Hawaii would be to expand the State's telemedicine system, which is still in its infancy; and

WHEREAS, greater access to health care through telemedicine would extend medical information and physicians' care throughout the State, without requiring patients to leave their home island; and

WHEREAS, after telemedicine was first implemented in 1998 by former Governor Benjamin Cayetano as a pilot project, it became clear, even in its earliest stage, that there are endless possibilities for telemedicine to change lives for the better; and

WHEREAS, it would be in the best interest for the residents of Hawaii to continue to explore the possibilities of expanding the current telemedicine system to encompass the State's twelve hospitals; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty—fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Health is requested to form a task force to explore the feasibility of further implementation of the telemedicine systems so that citizens of Hawaii may benefit from it; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department is requested to direct the task force to examine the following issues:

(1) Current use of telemedicine and equipment;

(2) Costs for expansion;

(3) Timeframe for full implementation of an expansion project; and

(4) Potential difficulties or problems that may arise during or after implementation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in forming the task force, the Director of Health is requested to include:

(1) The Director of Health or the Director's designee;

(2) One member from the staff of the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii;

(3) One member from the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation;

(4) One member from a for-profit health care organization; and

(5) One member from a non profit hospital or health care organization; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Health is requested to appoint all members of the task force no later than thirty days after the adjournment sine die of the Regular Session of 2008, and is requested to convene the initial meeting of the task force within thirty days after appointment of its members; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Health is required to provide necessary administrative, professional, technical, and clerical support to the task force; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to submit a preliminary report of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2009, and a final report of its findings and recommendations, including any necessary proposed legislation not later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2010; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Director of Health, and the Chairperson of the Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Health; Telemedicine

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	138
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII