VIDEO: Maui Hospital Rally, Board Outlines Potential Cuts

April 29, 2015, 5:14 AM HST
* Updated April 29, 6:09 AM

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[flashvideo file=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F3WtnsyBjU /] By Wendy Osher

***HB1075, which paves the way for a public-private partnership on Maui, advanced out of conference committee last night – full details at the following LINK.

An estimated 250 people showed up for a public meeting last night in which board members of the Maui Regional System of the Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation discussed potential job and service cuts to deal with a projected $28 million budget gap.

Board chair Clay Sutherland outlined potential cuts as members of the state House and Senate conferees held a meeting of their own and ended up passing an amended version HB1075, that sets the groundwork for one or more of the HHSC facilities on Maui to transition into a new private, non-profit corporation.

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[flashvideo file=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZImK0UCBmQ /] Sutherland said bill that would allow another entity to take over management and infuse much needed funds and resources into the hospitals.

“By having the public private partnership approved and possibly working with Straub or whoever else would be willing to provide services here,” Sutherland said, “we can help reduce these losses. Hopefully we can help expand the services that are here.”

He continued saying, “They can bring their expertise with their electronic medical records… and allow us to proceed and instead of just move up, just totally lift the bar and avoid these types of closures and allow us to expand the services that are provided here.”