Hospital Cuts on Maui Currently Limited to Molokini II

Maui Memorial Medical Center, courtesy photo.

By Wendy Osher

The Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation announced that it will implement a system wide reduction in force, eliminating positions as early as mid-December of this year.

The HHSC announcement said the decision “comes after an extensive review of operations, programs and services at each of its five regions’ facilities seeking solutions to address a $48 million shortfall for FY2015.”

The Hawaiʻi Health Care System includes the Maui Memorial Medical Center in Wailuku, Kula Hospital, and the Lānaʻi Community Hospital.

“At this time impact to the Maui Memorial Medical Center will be a result of the closure of Molokini II,” said Maui region chief executive officer of Hawaiʻi Health System Corporation, Wes Lo.

“There will be several employees affected and we are working closely with them to advise them of all their options including applying for other positions with the Maui region of HHSC. We value our employees tremendously and are dedicated to making this difficult time as easy as possible for those who are impacted by the RIF. We appreciate everyone’s patience and support,” said Lo in an email statement.

Last month, administrators held a public meeting on Maui to discuss the anticipated shortfall and long-term solutions to improve the health care system over time.

At the time, Lo issued a statement saying, “Healthcare as a business has changed.  And while we remain steadfast in our mission to provide the highest quality of care to our patients, the healthcare environment is forcing us to reevaluate our operations.”

According to the HHSC website the corporation is the only acute care provider on the islands of Maui and Lānaʻi, and is the largest provider of health care on both islands.  

Executives describe the HHSC as a “Safety Net for Neighbor Island Acute Care and for Long-Term Care in the state of Hawaiʻi.”

According to the HHSC announcement, individuals whose positions have been identified for elimination will be notified officially by Sept. 2, 2014.  This will begin a 90-day process in which affected employees will be able to choose placement into a budget vacant position, or if none exists, they can exercise the “bumping” process which could extend the effects of the reduction in force beyond the originally identified positions, the announcement said.

The HHSC says further reductions may occur later in the year.