State pursues funding for health initiative
The Abercrombie administration is seeking $60 million in federal grants to make good on a promise to transform a health care system that has become a financial burden on the state.
The state hopes to move toward patient-centered primary care in which a physician oversees a team of providers that includes nurses, therapists or mental health specialists to better coordinate care. Part of the plan involves identifying and working with so-called "super utilizers," high-risk individuals who use the most services.
The plan also encourages providers to use and exchange electronic records to improve quality and reduce errors and duplication of services, and would put more money into training programs that address health care workforce shortages and make permanent its Office of Healthcare Transformation.
"It’s really important that we help to coordinate care better so that people don’t get lost in our complicated system," said Beth Giesting, the state’s health care transformation coordinator.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie said the plan "outlines clear, tangible steps we can take to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of health care in Hawaii."
Equity firm takes on Hilton time share
A private equity firm with a majority stake in Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. is taking over development of a planned time-share tower at Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki.
Blackstone Group LPhas agreed to buy the land and development plans for the time-share project from Hilton for $25 million, Hilton disclosed Thursday in its annual report.
The sale is expected to close in March.
Hilton, which will manage the tower named Grand Islander, did not provide a development timetable. The project fronts Kalia Road in an area now used as a bus and tour loading zone.
Hilton previously planned to start developing a 350-foot time share with 307 units on the site last year, according to an environmental impact statement.
The hotel firm also plans a second time share on its Hawaiian Village property on a portion of land occupied by the retail Rainbow Bazaar. This 260-foot tower with 255 units is projected to be developed in 2019.
New York-based Blackstone bought Hilton in 2007, making it a private subsidiary, then took Hilton public again with a stock offering in December. Blackstone retained 76 percent of Hilton shares.
Maui’s Ritz-Carlton changes hands
The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua Resort, was sold Thursday to a partnership of Woodridge Capital Partners LLC and Colony Capital LLC and its affiliates, which include Colony Financial.
The new owners said that they intend to invest in improvements to the resort, which will continue to be operated by The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. LLC. The 463-room resort, built in 1992, has not drawn substantial reinvestment since 2007, when a $190 million renovation added 107 Ritz-Carlton residences.
The resort sits on 54 oceanfront acres, which includes two championship golf courses and pools that overlook the Maui coastline and Molokai. The property offers three in-hotel restaurants, a lounge, pool bar, cafe and an outdoor restaurant, The Beach House, that sits adjacent to neighboring D.T. Fleming beach.
The resort offers 207,000 square feet of meeting space as well as a spa, fitness center, tennis facilities and 4,600 square feet of retail space.
"We have great respect for the traditions of the islands," said Michael Rosenfeld, Woodridge Capital Partners’ CEO. "The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, is a rare property that would be nearly impossible to duplicate today."
ON THE MOVE
Colliers International has announced Charles J. Buckingham as vice president of Maui Brokerage Services.
He has rejoined Colliers after serving 15 years with A&B Properties, where he managed a portfolio consisting of office, retail and industrial properties as director of leasing on Maui. Before relocating to Hawaii, Buckingham served eight years with Colliers Seeley in Los Angeles.
Hilo Medical Center has named Dan Brinkman as chief operating officer. He joined the hospital in 2007 as a chief nurse executive and previously led Hilo Medical Center during the Joint Commission health care survey in late January. Before joining the hospital, Brinkman served as an assistant administrator of Interventional Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery at Vanderbilt University’s Medical Center.
