HI HCR118

Urges the Governor to provide emergency financial assistance to Wahiawa General Hospital (WGH), a nonprofit community hospital serving Central Oahu and North Shore areas since 1944, to prevent closure due to serious financial crisis.

Cites WGH's critical role as the only independent rural nonprofit general acute care hospital in Hawaii, operating 53 inpatient acute care beds and 107 skilled nursing beds, serving a 30-mile area and a population of 60,000.

Identifies major financial pressures including a $7.5 million revenue decline following the reopening of Queen's Medical Center West in May 2014, uncompensated physician costs of $1.7 million annually, and over $2.5 million in increased compliance costs from federal healthcare mandates.

Requests the Governor convene state health officials to identify assistance opportunities and directs the Legislature to provide sufficient funds for WGH operations while pursuing partnerships with larger healthcare organizations to achieve long-term sustainability.

Calls on Hawaii's Congressional Delegation to seek federal resources for rural healthcare facilities and directs transmittal of the resolution to state and federal officials, healthcare providers, military leadership, and community organizations.