| 47 | | - | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the community of West Hawaii is challenged in terms of available medical services and in need of a new medical facility. Kona community hospital is currently housed in an aging facility that was constructed in 1974. The population in the Kona area has grown and migrated north since the hospital was built almost fifty years ago, so the hospital is no longer located in the area with the highest residential density and need for services. While the highway in North Kona has been expanded, the hospital in South Kona sits on a single-lane highway that is vulnerable to traffic congestion, making it difficult for emergency vehicles and others to reach the hospital quickly. The legislature notes that, although there is a need to expand the current Kona community hospital facility so that more services can be provided to the community, the expansion is prevented by the facility's wastewater system, which is already at capacity. The hospital's location and need for modernization also makes it difficult to recruit new doctors and other medical personnel and to retain current medical staff. This further exacerbates the physician and health care worker shortage that is being experienced statewide. The legislature recognizes that the Kona community has outgrown the current facility, creating a crucial need for a new hospital in Kona. A new, more modern facility can provide additional services, better access to the airport for medical airlifts, and a more convenient location for the area's residents. The new hospital will also serve as an attractive workplace and will help the State recruit doctors and health care workers to fill the State's critical need. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to: (1) Require the Hawaii health systems corporation to perform a needs assessment to determine the demand for a new hospital in North Kona; and (2) Appropriate moneys for a needs assessment and site assessment to identify and evaluate viable locations for a new hospital site in North Kona. SECTION 2. The Hawaii health systems corporation shall conduct a needs assessment to determine the demand for a new hospital in North Kona, to be performed before a site assessment, to identify and evaluate viable locations for a new hospital in North Kona. The Hawaii health systems corporation shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations of the hospital needs assessment and site assessment, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2023. SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 for the needs assessment required by section 2 of this Act and a site assessment to identify and evaluate viable locations for a new hospital in North Kona on the island of Hawaii. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the Hawaii health systems corporation for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050. |
|---|
| 47 | + | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the community of West Hawaii is challenged in terms of available medical services and in need of a new medical facility. Kona community hospital is currently housed in an aging facility that was constructed in 1974. The population in the Kona area has grown and migrated north since the hospital was built almost fifty years ago, so the hospital is no longer located in the area with the highest residential density and need for services. While the highway in North Kona has been expanded, the hospital in South Kona sits on a single-lane highway that is vulnerable to traffic congestion, making it difficult for emergency vehicles and others to reach the hospital quickly. The legislature notes that, although there is a need to expand the current Kona community hospital facility so that more services can be provided to the community, the expansion is prevented by the facility's wastewater system, which is already at capacity. The hospital's location and need for modernization also makes it difficult to recruit new doctors and other medical personnel and to retain current medical staff. This further exacerbates the physician and health care worker shortage that is being experienced statewide. The legislature recognizes that the Kona community has outgrown the current facility, creating a crucial need for a new hospital in Kona. A new, more modern facility can provide additional services, better access to the airport for medical airlifts, and a more convenient location for the area's residents. The new hospital will also serve as an attractive workplace and will help the State recruit doctors and health care workers to fill the State's critical need. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to appropriate moneys for a site assessment to identify and evaluate viable locations for a new hospital site in North Kona. SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 for a site assessment to identify and evaluate viable locations for a new hospital site in North Kona on the island of Hawaii. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the Hawaii health systems corporation for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2060. |
|---|