STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3672

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 90

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 90 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE CHIEF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AND INJURY PREVENTION SYSTEM BRANCH TO CONVENE AND CHAIR A WORKING GROUP TO DEVELOP A COMMUNITY PARAMEDIC PROGRAM, INCLUDING EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS FOR CERTIFICATIONS, TO ALLEVIATE EMERGENCY SERVICES FROM RESPONDING TO NON-EMERGENCY CALLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Chief of the Department of Health Emergency Medical Services and Injury Prevention System Branch to convene and chair a working group to develop a community paramedic program, including educational standards for certifications, to alleviate emergency services from responding to non-emergency calls.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; University of Hawai‘i System; County of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Fire Department; and two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that the City and County of Honolulu Emergency Medical Services received almost ninety thousand calls in 2015.  Of these calls, many are from repeat callers who call multiple times per day for issues that do not need emergency services, but rather general assistance.  Therefore, as the call volume rises each year and the number of ambulance stations remains the same, it is critical to develop proposals to establish community paramedic services to provide the appropriate services for these repeat callers who would otherwise be using resources that could best serve individuals who need emergency medical services.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 90, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair