STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2232

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 3091

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 3091 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII HEALTH SYSTEMS CORPORATION PRIMARY CARE TRAINING PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for the interdisciplinary Hawaii Health Systems Corporation primary care training program at Hilo Medical Center.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Mayor, County of Hawaii; Hawaii County Council; Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce; Hawaii Healthcare Association; Hawaii Health Systems Corporation; Hawaii Medical Association; Healthcare Association of Hawaii; Hawaii Primary Care Association; Ka‘u Hospital; Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Hilo Medical Center Foundation; Hilo Medical Center; Community Alliance for Mental Health; Hastings and Pleadwell, LLC; Hawaii Island Family Medicine Residency; and several individuals.

     Your Committee finds that the island of Hawaii continues to face a severe physician shortage, with projections suggesting that the physician shortage will dramatically worsen in the next five years as many doctors retire.  Your Committee further finds that a recent study estimates that Hawaii County needs one hundred fifty more doctors to provide an adequate level of access to health care.  This measure will help relieve the acute physician shortage across the State, especially in rural areas.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3091 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

JOSH GREEN, Chair