STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2873

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 155

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 155 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO REVIEW THE GUARDIANSHIP PROCESS WITH RESPECT TO THE ISSUE OF PATIENTS IN HOSPITALS WHO ARE WAITLISTED FOR POST-ACUTE CARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request that the Attorney General review the current guardianship process as it pertains to adult hospital patients and work with the Healthcare Association of Hawaii to develop an expedited process for patients who are waitlisted, pending a move to a long term care facility.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Healthcare Association of Hawaii.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Judiciary Office of the Public Guardian and the Department of the Attorney General.  Testimony in support of the intent of this measure with amendments was submitted by the Hawaii Disability Rights Center.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that delays in appointing guardians for patients who are ready to move out of acute care hospitals results in a shortage of acute care beds and patients receiving higher and more expensive levels of care than necessary. 

     Your Committee further finds that the frequency of this problem is going to increase as the average age of our population rises.  It is important to address this issue now rather than wait until sheer volume causes a crisis of care. 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requesting that the Attorney General work with the Healthcare Association of Hawaii to develop an expedited guardianship process for waitlisted hospital patients; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes to ensure clarity and accuracy in the language of this measure.

     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. 155, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 155, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair