STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1443

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.C.R. No. 229

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 229 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF THE PHYSICIAN "ON-CALL" CRISIS ON THE QUEEN'S MEDICAL CENTER TRAUMA CENTER TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES IN THE STATE OF HAWAII AND TO RECOMMEND APPROPRIATE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR GOVERNMENT RESPONSES TO THE "ON-CALL" CRISIS TO ENSURE CONTINUED ACCESS TO TRAUMA LEVEL CARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this Concurrent Resolution is to request the Legislative Reference Bureau to study the impact of the physician "on-call" crisis on the ability of The Queen's Medical Center Trauma Center to provide emergency medical services in Hawaii and to recommend appropriate public and private responses to the crisis.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by The Queen's Medical Center, The Queen's Health Systems, Kaiser Permanente, Hawaii Pacific Health, the University of Hawaii School of Medicine, the HGEA/AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and one individual. The Department of Health submitted testimony supporting the measure's intention, with reservations. The Legislative Reference Bureau submitted comments. The Independent Physicians Association submitted testimony in opposition.

Your Committee finds that the on-call crisis is a compelling one and needs to be addressed. However, your Committee finds that the Legislative Reference Bureau is inappropriately tasked to carry out this study. The Department of Health is statutorily given authorization and responsibility to establish, administer, and maintain the State Comprehensive Emergency Medical Services System. Furthermore, the Department of Health has the statutory authority to regulate health care facilities, including hospitals and their components such as emergency departments and trauma centers. The State Health Planning Agency, under the Department of Health, is also involved in overall statewide health care facility planning. Your Committee finds that the Department of Health possesses the requisite experience and technical expertise and is the appropriate state agency to conduct this study.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this Concurrent Resolution to:

(1) Replace the Legislative Reference Bureau with the Department of Health, as the state agency to conduct the study requested;

(2) Amend the title of the Concurrent Resolution accordingly;

(3) Delete The Queen's Medical Center and the Healthcare Association of Hawaii as coordinating parties to the study on the basis of their private sector standing in a study that is to be conducted by a state agency;

(4) Delete the provision to contract with a private entity to conduct this study with state funds to be matched by The Queen's Medical Center, as appropriations cannot be made by resolution;

(5) Amend the "Resolved" provision relating to transmission of the Concurrent Resolution accordingly; and

(6) Make technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 229, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 229, H.D. 1.

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

 

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair