More than 500 impassioned Maui residents supporting with a new, privately run hospital on their island, met Monday, January 8, 2007, for the Kihei Community Association. There they discussed the proposed Malulani hospital in South Maui.
Walking through the crowd prior to presentations, small groups and individuals traded their personal stories about medical tragedies and poor quality health care at the hands of Maui Memorial.
The evening began with 6 panel members providing opening statements. They included Dr. Ron Kwon, Dr. Lorrin Pang, Maui County Health Officer, State Senator Roz Baker, State Representative Joe Bertram, Council Member Michelle Anderson and Linda Smith, Senior Policy Advisor to Governor Lingle.
Dr. Kwon outlined the vision for Malulani Hospital listing new medical facilities and services that up until now have not been available. A few of these improvements included acute heart attack and stoke care with open heart surgery, and 64 slice CT scanner; modern birthing center with fully equipped neonatal services; 24/7 night vision helicopter with flying ICU service and 8 minute travel time to West Maui; acute patient care service in West Maui, an all private room 150 bed configuration hospital; diagnostic PET scanner; same day imaging and digital mammography; telemedicine for all of Maui; oral trauma treatment; plus at least 600 new jobs for Maui with opportunities for former residents to return. Upon finishing, he received one of many standing ovations from the approximate 500 attendees at the near packed Kihei Community Center.
Senator Roz Baker highlighted the history of the Certificate of Need (CON) process that currently has declined the application for Malulani, derailing the process. She stated that the Federal government had entirely repealed the process, and currently 37 remaining states still have some form of CON on their books. She said the objective of the CON process is to