HONOLULU (AP) — An Oahu hospital that has provided emergency services to island residents for more than 70 years is struggling to keep its doors open as it continues to lose funding.
HONOLULU (AP) — An Oahu hospital that has provided emergency services to island residents for more than 70 years is struggling to keep its doors open as it continues to lose funding.
The Wahiawa General Hospital has lost $9 million over the last three years. A spokeswoman attributed the decline to fewer patient admissions and reductions in government funding, KHON-TV reported (https://bit.ly/22xz75U).
The hospital, which was built in 1944, provides emergency services to areas from Mililani to Wahiawa, Waialua, Sunset and Kahuku, or about one-third of the entire island. The hospital is central Oahu’s largest private employer, providing more than 600 jobs.
A nurse supervisor at the hospital, Angelina Rodriguez, said she is worried about the hospital closing and the impact it will have on her life.
“I rely on this job to bring income for my family. I have five children. My husband is in the military. The cost of living is higher here,” she said.
Democratic Rep. Marcus Oshiro, who represents Wahiawa, is calling on Gov. David Ige and the Legislature for about $6 million to save the hospital.
“It would be catastrophic if Wahiawa General had to cut back on services — or even worse, we had to close,” said Oshiro.
A majority of the hospital’s patients access their care through Medicaid and Medicare. Oshiro said if Wahiawa General were to shut down, patients would be forced to go to facilities in Ewa Beach or Pali Momi in Aiea.
“We’re like any rural hospital, like in the neighbor islands,” he said. “We need the government’s help. We need the state to help us.”