STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1357

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 158

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 158 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A LEGISLATIVE INTERIM TASK FORCE TO IDENTIFY AND DEVELOP A PRIMARY HEALTH CARE TRAINING AND RECRUITING PLAN FOR RURAL AND MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED AREAS OF THE STATE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish a legislative interim task force to identify and develop a Hawaii island model for a primary health care training and recruiting plan for rural and medically underserved areas of the State.

     Your Committee receives testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Medical Association and the Hawaii Primary Care Association.  Hawaii Medical Services Association supports this measure with amendments.  Comments on this measure were submitted by the University of Hawaii System.

     Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that this measure is an important component to the rural health initiative and will assist in understanding the numerous problems that rural areas across the nation are facing in trying to recruit and retain physicians in underserved areas.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by including, as ex‑officio members of the task force:

     (1)  The Director of the Bay Clinic, Inc., the federally qualified health center that serves the Hilo area;

     (2)  A representative of the Hawaii Medical Association;

     (3)  A representative of Hawaii Medical Services Association;

     (4)  A representative of the Hawaii Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics;

     (5)  A representative of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; and

     (6)  A representative of the Hawaii Academy of Family Physicians.

     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 S.C.R. No. 158, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 158, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair