STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2870

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2368

       H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2368, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT HILO,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate an unspecified amount to establish a medical residency program at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hilo Medical Center Foundation; Hawaii Health Systems Corporation; East Hawaii Region of Hawaii Health Systems Corporation; Hawaii Island Healthcare Alliance; TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Inc.; Sovereign Councils of the Hawaiian Homeland Association; Puna Community Medical Center; and forty-two individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that this measure would establish a medical residency program at the University of Hawaii at Hilo as part of a larger effort to reduce the impact of physician shortages in Hawaii's rural areas and neighbor islands.  The creation of a neighbor island residency program increases the likelihood of graduates of the program continuing to provide services on the neighbor islands and to rural communities.  However, your Committee notes that the University of Hawaii at Hilo may not be the appropriate entity in which to place this residency program.  As this measure moves forward, your Committee recommends that consideration be given to the possibility of funding a neighbor island residency program:

 

     (1)  From a portion of the physician workforce assessment fee, as provided in S.B. No. 240, S.D. 2, Regular Session of 2011; or

 

     (2)  As a line item in the budget under the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2368, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

JILL TOKUDA, Chair