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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1953 |
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TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2012 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
PART I
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that until recently, Hawaii Medical Center's two hospitals in Ewa Beach and Liliha provided comprehensive medical services to almost two-hundred thousand residents. In addition, the two hospitals operated some of the most-frequently used emergency rooms in the State. However, in December 2011, the Hawaii Medical Center's hospitals closed due to bankruptcy. Along with the closing of all of the hospitals' programs including their emergency rooms and the State's only organ transplant program, hundreds of patients were either discharged or transferred to other health care facilities in the State.
The legislature also finds that, with the closure of the Hawaii Medical Center hospitals, access to emergency medical care is in jeopardy. A greater burden is now placed on the city and county of Honolulu emergency medical services division to respond to emergency calls on the Leeward Coast and transport patients to emergency rooms elsewhere on Oahu. This increased workload threatens the ability of the division to provide acceptable levels of emergency medical services to communities on the Leeward Coast.
The purpose of this part is to appropriate general funds to the department of health to assist the city and county of Honolulu emergency medical services division with expanding emergency medical services and ambulance services in communities in Leeward Oahu.
SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2012-2013 for the purposes of:
(1) Increasing the on-call availability of emergency medical services and ambulance services in Ewa Beach to sixteen hours per day; and
(2) Increasing the on-call availability of emergency medical services and ambulance services in Nanakuli to twenty-four hours per day.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this part.
PART II
SECTION 3. The legislature finds that the recent closure of the Hawaii Medical Center's two hospitals threatens to overload emergency rooms elsewhere on Oahu. Emergency patients who would have normally been treated at one of Hawaii Medical Center's hospitals are now being re-routed to nearby hospitals' emergency rooms. The legislature further finds that Wahiawa General Hospital, being the remaining hospital closest to the Leeward Coast, now accepts many of the patients who previously would have visited the emergency room at one of Hawaii Medical Center's hospitals.
The purpose of this part is to appropriate funds as a grant pursuant to chapter 42F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to assist Wahiawa General Hospital in providing additional emergency room services that are required due to the closing of Hawaii Medical Center's two hospitals.
SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2012-2013 as a grant pursuant to chapter 42F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to Wahiawa General Hospital to provide additional emergency room services.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this part.
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2030.
Report Title:
Emergency Medical Care
Description:
Appropriates funds to increase the on-call availability of emergency medical services and ambulance services on the Leeward Coast of Oahu. Appropriates funds as a grant pursuant to Chapter 42F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to Wahiawa General Hospital to provide additional emergency room services. Effective July 1, 2030. (HB1953 HD1)
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.