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Hawaii Medical Association Honors Local Physicians and Community Members at Ola Pono Ike Medical Gala
 
Honolulu, HI (October 28, 2008) – This Saturday, Hawaii Medical Association (HMA) will honor extraordinary physicians and community leaders who have contributed to improving Hawaii’s health and health care at its seventh annual Ola Pono Ike medical gala. Ola Pono Ike, which means “Health is Knowledge”, is HMA’s annual benefit, presidential inauguration, and awards dinner. It is scheduled for November 1, 5:30 pm at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

“We are extremely pleased to honor these exemplary leaders in health care,” says Dr. Cynthia Goto, HMA President. “Their hard work and service is a testament to the selfless dedication needed to improve the health care of Hawaii’s citizens, and each awardee deservers our thanks.”

Approximately 500 guests from Hawaii’s health care and business community are expected to join in recognizing the honorees and supporting access to quality health care in Hawaii. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Hawaii Medical Foundation, a nonprofit foundation that supports charitable, scientific, literary, and educational activities in medicine.

Special guest speakers include Lt. Governor James R. “Duke” Aiona and Edward J. Langston, MD, immediate past chair, American Medical Association board of trustees. The program emcee is Leslie Wilcox, President and CEO of PBS Hawaii.

Physician honorees include:

• Gary A. Okamoto, MD – Chief Medical Executive at the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific, will be inaugurated as HMA’s 153rd President.
• Carl H. Lum, MD – Volunteer surgeon, Aloha Medical Mission, will receive the Physician of the Year Award, recognizing his dedication to community service. A retired physician, he has organized missions and travelled to the Philippines, China, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other countries in dire need of medical services.
• Morris M. Mitusnaga, MD – Chief of Orthopedics at Queen’s Medical Center, will receive the President’s Award to recognize his outstanding contributions to Hawaii’s medical community as a trauma surgeon and health care advocate.
• Kevin Kunz, MD – President of the American Board of Addiction Medicine and physician at Kona Addiction Services, receives the Clinician of the Year award, honoring his application of clinical science and humanity to the field of addiction medicine.
• Virginia M. Pressler, MD – Executive Vice President for Hawaii Pacific Health, will be named the Health Care Administrator of the Year, in recognition of her contributions to consolidating the largest health care system in Hawaii and leading a task force on the problem of the uninsured patient.

Community honorees include:

• Linda Smith – Senior Policy Advisor, Office of the Governor receives the State Administrator of the Year award, for her invaluable assistance in communicating to the Executive Branch the priorities and concerns of Hawaii’s medical community, including medical liability reform and reimbursement issues.
• Rep. Angus McKelvey – 10th District, Consumer Protection & Commerce Committee Vice-Chair receives one of two Legislator of the Year awards, as an outspoken supporter for the solutions to Hawaii’s patient access to care crisis.
• Rep. Colleen Rose Meyer – 47th District, Minority Floor Leader, is also named Legislator of the Year, in recognition of her consistent, critical support in the campaign at the legislature for medical liability reform.
• Leland Kim – Reporter, KHNL News 8 will receive the Broadcast Media of the Year award for distinguished medical reporting, recognizing his coverage of the impact of physician shortages in his series on Hawaii’s health care crisis.
• Nancy Cook Lauer – Hawaii Capitol Reporter for Stephens Media, receives the Print Media of the Year award for her extensive reporting on the physician shortages in rural areas such as the Big Island as well as medical malpractice reform.

The evening also includes a silent auction and live music provided by local physicians. The public is invited to attend. Tables of ten are $1,500 and individual seats are $150. Tickets may be purchased online at HMA’s online store (go to www.hmaonline.net) or by calling HMA, (808) 536-7702.

Ola Pono Ike is sponsored in part by: Medical Insurance Exchange of California (MIEC); Diagnostic Laboratory Services, Inc.; Hale Pawaa Professional Services Building; Hawaii Pacific Health; Humana; Physicians Exchange of Honolulu, Inc.; Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific & Dr. and Mrs. Gary Okamoto; and The Queen’s Medical Center.

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Public Forums to Examine the Big Island Health Care Crisis

Honolulu, March 10, 2008 - Two free public forums are scheduled on the Big Island, March 12th and 13th, to continue the discussion on the island’s physician shortage, as well as to highlight solutions to the statewide patient access to care crisis. The community is invited to attend and participate in the question & answer session. Invited panelists include local legislators, physicians, and health care leaders.

What:     Patient Access to Care Forum
When:     Kona – Wednesday, March 12, 2008, 5:30 PM
              Hilo – Thursday, March 13, 2008, 5:30 PM
Where:    Kona – King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel
              Hilo – Nani Mau Gardens

The panelists will also discuss medical liability reform – specifically, the proposed legislation that will help recruit and retain physicians in Hawaii so patients have access to care. While medical liability reform bills have not made it through the legislature so far this session, there are still opportunities for legislation to be passed yet this year.

“Hawaii residents are already facing the dangerous effects of a physician shortage, and no one wants to see more horror stories created by lack of access to physician care,” says Cynthia Goto, MD, president of the Hawaii Medical Association. “Medical liability reform is a sure solution, free to tax-payers, that can be implemented now by the legislature. Doing so will help ensure that patient care in Hawaii is no longer compromised and we will have physicians available when we need them most.”

For more details, call the Hawaii Medical Association at (808) 536-7702, toll-free (888) 536-2792; or go to www.hmaonline.net.

New Research Confirms that Medical Liability Reform Works

Honolulu, February 26, 2008 – New, independent research shows that medical liability reforms similar to those currently proposed to Hawai‘i’s legislature are successful in increasing the supply of physicians to care for patients.

Commenting on the report, the American Medical Association (AMA) on February 5, 2008 stated, “Research shows that caps on non-economic damages (arbitrary damages like pain and suffering) are associated with lower premium levels of at least 17 percent.” Hawai‘i is one of the states that have been slow to enact medical liability reform. Hawai‘i Medical Association has proposed capping non-economic damages in Hawai‘i at $250,000, and currently has several bills pending in the State House.

Physicians in Hawai‘i have had to cut back their practices, or leave the state, due in large part to Hawai‘i’s high malpractice premium costs over the last 5 years. As demonstrated in states such as California and Texas, capping non-economic damages with no limit on economic damages (such as future medical expenses and wage losses) stabilized premiums and provided a more workable environment for physicians. These caps have demonstrated an increase in physician supply, including in rural and underserved areas.

The complete AMA analysis of the research can be found at:
www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/363/prp2007-1.pdf. 

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Texas Expert Joins Kailua Forum on Medical Liability Reform

Honolulu, February 25, 2008 – Donald P. “Rocky” Wilcox JD, Vice President and General Counsel of the Texas Medical Association will speak at tomorrow’s Patient Access to Care Forum, starting at 5:30 pm at the Castle Medical Center Auditorium, 640 ‘Ulukahiki Street, Kailua. Mr. Wilcox played a critical roll in convincing Texas legislators to pass medical liability reforms that have helped attract physicians to the state and its rural areas.

“In 2003, the Texas Legislature passed sweeping liability reforms to combat health care lawsuit abuse, reverse skyrocketing professional liability insurance premiums, and ensure Texans' access to high-quality medical care,” said Paula Arcena, executive director of the Hawai‘i Medical Association. “We need similar medical liability reform in Hawai‘i to stop physicians from cutting back their practices or leaving Hawai‘i.”

“Medical liability reform works,” said Mr. Wilcox, “in Texas, we faced similar problems on a larger scale that face Hawai‘i today—a physician shortage, specialists cutting back practices or leaving the state, escalating liability insurance premiums, and patients without proper access to care. Since we passed reform, claims and lawsuits in most Texas counties have been cut in half. All major physician liability carriers in Texas have cut their rates, most by double-digits. We licensed a record 3,324 new doctors this year; 808 more than last year. This includes a net gain of 186 obstetricians; 156 orthopedic surgeons; and 26 neurosurgeons.”

Other panelists for the forum will be: Rep. Josh Green, MD – 6th Representative District; Health Committee Chair; Linda Rasmussen, MD – Legislative Co-chair of Hawai‘i Medical Association; Kevin Roberts, FACHE – President and CEO, Castle Medical Center; Joan Ryan – a Windward Oahu Resident; and Rep. Cynthia Thielen – 50th Representative District and Judiciary Committee Member.

Hawai‘i Medical Association (HMA) is dedicated to serving physicians, their patients and the community through representation, advocacy and public service. HMA is the Hawai‘i State affiliate of the American Medical Association.

Honolulu, February 22, 2008 – On Tuesday, February 26th, panelists at a free public forum will discuss the physician shortage on Windward Oahu, as well as what can be done to keep physicians from leaving or cutting back their practices across the state. The community is invited to attend and participate in the question & answer session with local legislators, health care leaders, and a Texas attorney who is an expert on physician shortage solutions.

What:     Patient Access to Care Forum
When:     Tuesday, February 26, 2008, 5:30 PM
Where:    Castle Medical Center Auditorium, 640 ‘Ulukahiki Street, Kailua

Panelists confirmed to date:

• Rep. Josh Green, MD – 6th Representative District; Health Committee Chair
• Linda Rasmussen, MD – Legislative Co-chair, Hawai‘i Medical Association; Windward Oahu orthopedic surgeon
• Kevin Roberts, FACHE – President and CEO, Castle Medical Center
• Joan Ryan – Windward Oahu Resident
• Rep. Cynthia Thielen – 50th Representative District; Judiciary Committee Member
• Donald P. "Rocky" Wilcox JD – Vice President and General Counsel, Texas Medical Association

Rocky Wilcox from the Texas Medical Association will provide an overview of the Texas model of medical liability reform. Mr. Wilcox played a critical roll in convincing Texas legislators to pass medical liability reforms that have reduced medical insurance premiums for Texas physicians, attracting more of them to the state and its rural areas. Similar medical reforms are one of the viable solutions to solving the physician shortage here in Hawai‘i.

"I know from personal experience the difficulty of finding a replacement for a trusted physician who has had to leave the Islands," states Joan Ryan, a Windward Oahu resident who will participate on the forum panel. "Our state legislators have the power to begin fixing it now, at no cost, by passing medical liability reform legislation. This forum will help give us tools to convince them of the urgency of this situation."

For more details on the forum or medical liability reform legislation, call the Hawai‘i Medical Association at (808) 536-7702, toll-free (888) 536-2792; or go to www.hmaonline.net.

Hawai‘i Medical Association (HMA) is dedicated to serving physicians, their patients and the community through representation, advocacy and public service. HMA is the Hawai‘i State affiliate of the American Medical Association.

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Notes for editors
1.    HMA and concerned citizens will participate in a “sign-waving” rally at 6:00 AM and 4:00 PM on February 26th at Castle Junction in support of medical liability reform. Contact Paula Arcena or April Troutman at HMA for details.
2.    Forum panelists, including Mr. Wilcox beginning Monday, February 25th, are available for interviews. Contact Paula Arcena or April Troutman at HMA to schedule.