STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3281

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 113

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 113 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO EXAMINE PALLIATIVE CARE SERVICES AND DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS TO EXPAND PALLIATIVE CARE SERVICES IN HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Health to convene a working group to examine palliative care services and develop recommendations to expand palliative care services in Hawaii.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Hospice of Hilo-Hawai‘i Care Choices, Kōkua Mau, St. Francis Healthcare System, and three individuals.

Your Committee finds that palliative care is specialized medical care for people with serious illness, including chronic and terminal illness. Your Committee finds that palliative care can improve the quality of life for the patient and the patient's family and has been shown to reduce the need for hospitalization, including emergency room visits, time spent in intensive care, and hospital readmissions. However, your Committee also finds that palliative care is not universally offered, nor have the possibilities of palliative care been fully explored. Your Committee also notes that other states have successfully implemented working groups to study and expand palliative care services. Accordingly, your Committee finds that this State would similarly benefit from a working group to conduct an assessment of the current state of, and potential to improve, palliative care services in Hawaii.

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 S.C.R. No. 113 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