HI HR163

Maui County faces a 41% overall physician shortage (approximately 179 full-time equivalent physicians) and a 35% primary care deficit, worsened by the 2023 Maui wildfires that destroyed healthcare facilities and displaced medical workers.

Hawaii received $188,892,440 in federal Rural Health Transformation Program funding that could support establishing a medical residency program on Maui.

Urges Maui Health to collaborate with the John A. Burns School of Medicine, Hawaii Rural Health Transformation Plan administrators, and federally qualified health centers (Hana Health and Malama I Ke Ola Health Center) to establish a full-time medical residency program.

Requests Maui Health submit a report on progress toward establishing the residency program, including funding status, to the Legislature no later than 20 days before the 2027 Regular Session.