Kahuku Hospital Closing

[WindwardOahuRN]

I know they've been having difficulties for years but I always thought they would tough it out:

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar...829573416.html

Guess it's either Wahiawa, Castle, or an airlift to Queens for those who used to depend on Kahuku.

[adrian]

Re: Kahuku Hospital Closing

whoa. Wait a minute: how dependable are the air transports now that the military team were deployed? (or are they still in operation?) I know Oahu is a small place, but can't other hospitals expand to the country?

[tutusue]

Re: Kahuku Hospital Closing

The closing of Kahuku Hospital is truly scary...and I don't even live in that neck o' the woods. I've worked many times on the north shore and during the course of several shoots an actor or a crew member has been injured or become ill. They were always taken to KH. I guess having a medic on the set while in that area might become more commonplace. Unfortunately local film budgets can't afford that. And no nearby ER for the residents and tourists. This is really tragic.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Kahuku Hospital Closing

Sad ..........

[WindwardOahuRN]

Re: Kahuku Hospital Closing

The closing of Kahuku Hospital is truly scary...and I don't even live in that neck o' the woods. I've worked many times on the north shore and during the course of several shoots an actor or a crew member has been injured or become ill. They were always taken to KH. I guess having a medic on the set while in that area might become more commonplace. Unfortunately local film budgets can't afford that. And no nearby ER for the residents and tourists. This is really tragic.

I know we've gotten some extremely critically ill patients transported to us from Kahuku. It is truly scary to think what might have happened to these people if there had been much more of a delay in immediate care.

Just a few weeks ago we got a very critical near-drowning. Kahuku gave her excellent care in their ER---did everything right. You have to wonder what might have happened if she had to be transported to a facility further than Kahuku from Turtle Bay. She made it, in good part because of the care she received at Kahuku during that "golden hour" that is so important in determining the outcome of many critical cases.

I wonder if anyone would consider making it more like a Waianae Coast Comprehensive Center---clinics, emergency care capabilities.

Maybe the inpatient areas could be used for long-term skilled care, something that is desperately needed here too?

[LikaNui]

Re: Kahuku Hospital Closing

It's a horrible loss for that entire section of the island.
I also heard one report that said there is only one ambulance that works the entire area from Kualoa to Haleiwa. YIKES!

[tutusue]

Re: Kahuku Hospital Closing

I heard from a friend on the north shore who tends to have her pulse on the area and has, in the past, been closely associated with the hospital. She mentioned that the news of the hospital closing has been dreaded for years. The last real scare was about 10 years ago. Use it or lose it...the community just didn't use it. Evidently the board tried to affiliate with Castle, but some of the old plantation families refused to give up "their" hospital. It seems Queens poured money into KH for a few years, but then gave up as other benefactors, including the state, have.

My friend isn't sure what will happen next with the facility. Kaiser has a small clinic across the street and needs to expand its presence since 45% of the people in that area are Kaiser patients.

Interesting...still sad, tho'.

[tutusue]

Re: Kahuku Hospital Closing

[...]I wonder if anyone would consider making it more like a Waianae Coast Comprehensive Center---clinics, emergency care capabilities.[...]

That seems like a good idea altho' WCCHC has had it's share of closure scares over the years. I honestly don't know how well it's utilized. I was truly surprised to learn how under utilized KH has been.