Emergency room misuse contributes to overcrowding

By Ira Zunin

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Feb 11, 2012

~~<p>The state continues to experience ripple effects from the closure of Hawaii Medical Center's two hospitals following its second bankruptcy in recent years. One casualty is its liver and kidney transplant center. To minimize the need for locals to go to the mainland for organ transplants, Gov. Neil Abercrombie just signed HB 608, a $1.5 million appropriation enabling the Queen's Medical Center to open its own organ transplant center.</p>
<p>Both Queen's and Hawaii Pacific Health have expressed an interest in purchasing HMC-West in Ewa. At the same time, Hawaii Health Systems Corp. and St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii are in discussion on a potential collaboration at HMC-East in Liliha for long-term and palliative care.</p>
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The state continues to experience ripple effects from the closure of Hawaii Medical Center's two hospitals following its second bankruptcy in recent years. One casualty is its liver and kidney transplant center. To minimize the need for locals to go to the mainland for organ transplants, Gov. Neil Abercrombie just signed HB 608, a $1.5 million appropriation enabling the Queen's Medical Center to open its own organ transplant center.

Both Queen's and Hawaii Pacific Health have expressed an interest in purchasing HMC-West in Ewa. At the same time, Hawaii Health Systems Corp. and St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii are in discussion on a potential collaboration at HMC-East in Liliha for long-term and palliative care. Login for more...