STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1798

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 616, 617, 618, 619, 620

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 616, 617, 618, 619, and 620, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of: 

 

Hawai'i Medical Education Council

 

G.M. No. 616

LESLIE CHUN,

for a term to expire 06-30-2025;

 

G.M. No. 617

NICOLE APOLIONA,

for a term to expire 06-30-2021;

 

G.M. No. 618

NICOLE APOLIONA,

for a term to expire 06-30-2025;

 

G.M. No. 619

LINDA ROSEN-DEBOLD,

for a term to expire 06-30-2023; and

 

G.M. No. 620

LISA RANTZ,

for a term to expire 06-30-2025,

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by Leslie Chun, Nicole Apoliona, Linda Rosen-Debold, and Lisa Rantz for service on the Hawaii Medical Education Council.

 


LESLIE CHUN

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the appointment of Leslie Chun from the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine and one individual.

 

     Upon review of the testimony and his qualifications, your Committee finds that Dr. Chun's current position as the Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Pacific Health Medical Group qualifies him to be appointed to the Hawaii Medical Education Council as one of the three members representing a hospital at which accredited graduate medical education programs are conducted.  Your Committee finds that prior to his current position, Dr. Chun served as the Chief Quality Officer, Chief Medical and Quality Officer/Vice President of Medical Affairs at The Queen's Medical Center, during which he led the collaboration with John Hopkins University to accelerate improvements in quality and safety.  Your Committee also notes Dr. Chun's strong commitment to medical education as evidenced by his appointment as an Assistant Clinical Professor with the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine's Department of Medicine since 2015, his role in launching The Queen's Medical Center's Advanced Quality Training Program, and teaching residents at The Queen Emma Clinic for the underserved during his time at The Queen's Medical Center.  Your Committee therefore recommends that Dr. Chun be appointed to the Hawaii Medical Education Council based on his professional expertise and knowledge in the management of medical centers and quality control of medical services and strong commitment to medical education.

 

NICOLE APOLIONA

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the appointment and reappointment of Nicole Apoliona from the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine and three individuals.

 

     Upon review of the testimony and her qualifications, your Committee finds that Dr. Apoliona has been serving on the Hawaii Medical Education Council as an interim member since September 2020, and that her twenty-four years of experience as a family practice physician and thirteen years of experience as the Medical Director of Kula Hospital and Clinic, a critical access hospital that is a part of the Maui Health System, qualify her to be appointed and reappointed to the Council as one of the members representing the health professions community.  Your Committee finds that as Medical Director of a hospital on Maui, Dr. Apoliona has been exposed to challenges in recruiting and retaining physicians and has therefore been a constant advocate for addressing physician workforce shortage in rural areas through a system-wide, community-engaged approach.  Your Committee also notes Dr. Apoliona's strong commitment to medical education, as evidenced by her appointment as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine's Department of Family Medicine and Community Health since October 2013, where she trains and encourages medical students to pursue further training and career in rural areas of Hawaii.  Your Committee therefore recommends that Dr. Apoliona be appointed and reappointed to the Hawaii Medical Education Council based on her unique perspective as an actively practicing physician on Maui, understanding of the issue of physician workforce shortage on the neighbor islands, and commitment to medical education.

 

LINDA ROSEN-DEBOLD

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the appointment of Linda Rosen-Debold from the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, Board of Directors of the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, East Hawaii Region of Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, and one individual.

 

     Upon review of the testimony and her qualifications, your Committee finds that Dr. Rosen-Debold's over thirty years of experience in the medical field and over fifteen years of experience in high-level leadership positions in the public medical sector qualify her to be appointed to the Hawaii Medical Education Council as one of the members representing the health professions community.  Your Committee notes that in addition to being a pediatrician since 1985, Dr. Rosen-Debold also holds a Master of Public Health degree.  Dr. Rosen-Debold currently serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, a public corporation that serves as a safety net for neighbor island acute care and long-term care in the State.  Prior to her current position, Dr. Rosen-Debold served for fifteen years with the Department of Health in various executive positions.  Your Committee also notes Dr. Rosen-Debold's strong commitment to medical education, as evidenced by her various faculty appointments at the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine since 1987, including her current position as an Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics and Surgery.  Your Committee therefore recommends that Dr. Rosen-Debold be appointed to the Hawaii Medical Education Council based on her clinical health care background combined with experience in health care system-development, extensive experience in the medical field and public medical sector and commitment to medical education.

 

LISA RANTZ

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the reappointment of Lisa Rantz from the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine; Board of Directors of the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation; East Hawaii Region of Hawaii Health Systems Corporation; Community First, Inc.; Floral Construction and Development Company, Inc.; Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce; Hawaii Physician Shortage Crisis Task Force; Hawaii Radiologic Society; and thirty-one individuals.

 

     Upon review of the testimony and Ms. Rantz's qualifications, your Committee finds that Ms. Rantz has been serving on the Hawaii Medical Education Council since 2017 as a member of the general public, and if reappointed, will continue to serve in the same capacity.  Your Committee finds that Ms. Rantz is currently the Executive Director of the Hilo Medical Center Foundation, which initiates projects that enhance health care and services at the Hilo Medical Center, including its Pre-Health Career Corps Program that establishes a health care workforce on the island of Hawaii.  Your Committee notes that Ms. Rantz has successfully obtained and managed over $5,000,000 in grants that support educational opportunities for socioeconomically disadvantaged students and their families in rural Hawaii.  Ms. Rantz also led efforts to obtain a federal Health Professions Shortage Designation for the counties of Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai, and parts of Oahu, which provided rural medical practices access to loan repayment programs and ten percent quarterly bonuses for Medicare and Medicaid direct-billed services, enabling some practices to continue operations.  Your Committee also notes Ms. Rantz's extensive history of community service, including serving as the President of the Hawaii State Rural Health Association since 2019.  Your Committee therefore recommends that Dr. Rosen-Debold be reappointed to the Hawaii Medical Education Council based on her wealth of experience and knowledge in working with local communities to meet the medical needs of the people of Hawaii, commitment to promoting medical education, and dedication to the enhancement of health care throughout the State.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair