HR119 HD1

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 relatively new telemedicine system, to include facilitation and coordination of cost effective health care services and management of chronic diseases; 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 and associated health care delivery 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 and associated health care delivery 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, that the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine's Telehealth Research Institute (TRI) is requested to form a task force to explore the feasibility of further implementation of the telemedicine system so that citizens of Hawaii may benefit from it; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that TRI 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;

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

(5) Any broader issues addressed at the November 15, 2007, Hawaii Telehealth Collaborative Symposium, including:

(A) Business models;

(B) Reimbursement and funding;

(D) Added value and incentives; and

(E) Political will and institutional leadership;

and

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

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

(2) The Dean of the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii or the Dean's designee;

(3) The President and Chief Operating Officer of the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation or the President and Chief Operating Officer's designee;

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

(5) One member from a nonprofit hospital or health care organization;

(6) The Chairperson of the Hawaii Telehealth Collaborative Symposium steering committee or the Chairperson's designee;

(7) The Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Primary Care Association or the Chief Executive Officer's designee;

(8) The President of the Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association's Psychiatric Rural Health Collaborative or the President's designee;

(9) The Director of Human Services of the Director's designee;

(10) The Executive Director of the American Telemedicine Association or the Executive Director's designee;

(11) The Director of the Telecommunication and Information Policy Group or the Director's designee;

(12) The Board President of the Hawaii Rural Health Association or the Board President's designee;

(13) The Executive Director of the Hepatitis Support Network of Hawaii or the Executive Director's designee; and

(14) Any other person as determined by the Director of TRI;

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 20 days prior to the convening of the 2009 Regular Session, and a final report of its findings and recommendations, including any necessary proposed legislation, not later than 20 days prior to the convening of the 2010 Regular Session; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Health, Director of Human Services, Chairperson of the Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund, Dean of the John A. Burns School of Medicine, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, Chairperson of the Hawaii Telehealth Collaborative Symposium steering committee, Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Primary Care Association, President of the Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, Executive Director of the American Telemedicine Association, Director of the Telecommunication and Information Policy Group, Board President of the Hawaii Rural Health Association, and Executive Director of the Hepatitis Support Network of Hawaii.

Report Title:

Health; Telemedicine

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	119
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII