HI HR73

Urges the Governor to provide emergency financial assistance to Wahiawa General Hospital (WGH), the only independent nonprofit rural general acute care hospital in Hawaii, to prevent closure and maintain critical emergency services for 60,000 residents in Central Oahu and North Shore areas.

Identifies WGH's financial crisis caused by 14% patient revenue decline following Queen's Medical Center West reopening in May 2014 ($7.5 million loss), physician shortages requiring expensive hospitalist staffing ($650,000+ annually), and unfunded compliance costs exceeding $2.5 million annually under the Affordable Care Act.

Notes WGH serves low-income and elderly populations with 85% of revenues from Medicare and Medicaid patients who do not cover full treatment costs, and operates 53 acute care beds and 107 skilled nursing beds while supporting 600 employees (380 full-time equivalents).

Directs the Governor to convene meetings with health agency directors to identify partnership opportunities with private healthcare systems and hospitals to develop a sustainable business model enabling WGH's continued operations.

Requests the Legislature appropriate sufficient funds for WGH's uninterrupted medical services and directs Hawaii's Congressional Delegation to seek federal resources for rural healthcare facilities and distressed communities.