+- Punaweb Forum (http://punaweb.org/forum)
+-- Forum: Punaweb Forums (http://punaweb.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=3)
+--- Forum: Punatalk (http://punaweb.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=10)
+--- Thread: Healthcare (/showthread.php?tid=6276)
Pages:
1
2
Healthcare - mella l - 10-08-2009
On a recent trip to Oahu I spoke to one of the states locally elected officials. I was told that the island of Hawaii, the Big Island had third world health care facilities and staffing, much below par. This person was so adamant about this fact, that they wouldn't think of moving to the island of Hawaii.
Here is a current article from The Commonwealth Foundation's research arm, rating Hawaii's health care as #3 in the nation of the best health care. What do you think? Should a person with health issues move to Oahu, or Hawaii Island?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091008/hl_nm/us_usa_healthcare_states_study_3
mella l
RE: Healthcare - hrooster - 10-08-2009
Third world? Hardly. I am a local hospital-only physician (I have no private practice). I have worked at hospitals in 2 mainland states and now in 2 Hawaii hospitals (HMC and Maui Memorial) Are we rural? Yes. Do we offer ALL specialties and procedures...no. But we have easy phone/email/telemedicine access to specialists and quick transfer to Oahu by air ambulance for emergencies that cannot be handled here: which is NO different than it was in my rural Nevada location.
I can tell you that it is my experience that any "big city" doc or muckymuck tends to look down his/her nose at any facility out of their bailiwick.
That being said, it IS difficult to find a physician here who is accepting new patients: local docs have full practices, and because medicare/medicaid pay poorly and slowly, they resist accepting such new clients. So should someone with serious medical problems move here? Only if you can guarantee that you will be accepted by the physician of your choice.
My 2 cents.
cheers, chele
http://the-hroost.com
RE: Healthcare - mella l - 10-08-2009
My personal physician wrote a letter or recommendation for me to his former college roommate a Hilo physician! The roommate wrote back that in good conscience he would not be able to accept me as a new patient as he was already overbooked. Average patient load, if my memory serves me well around 6,000, this physician had a load at that time of 12,000 patients. My personal physician is only 42 years of age, a grand guy, but is looking way haggard and old of late, and he is a physical fitness type bike rider.
mella l
RE: Healthcare - mella l - 10-08-2009
Just received an email from the Commonwealth Foundation disclaiming the above article by Reuters.
Here is the correct site and source of the information the Commonwealth FUND, paid for by fundies? Hopefully Reuters News will correct this mistake nation/world wide!
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Charts-and-Maps/State-Scorecard-2009.aspx
Full disclosure, I'm just a person looking for good healthcare at a reasonable price, someone who doesn't want to be a goose with a bronze egg.
mella l
RE: Healthcare - Devany - 10-08-2009
To answer your question Mella, anyone with serious health issues should probably not move to Hawaii island. I am not even sure they should move to Oahu. I would advise living in a major metropolitan area with several teaching hospitals. Or perhaps Rochester, MN for Mayo if health care is a key concern.
There are two sides to this coin, we live in a place that is far healthier in lifestyle than most American cities(as long as you stay away from the plate lunches of course.) The weather is such that we all spend a great deal more time outdoors and are active more well into much older years because our joints are not barraged with coldness/stiffness. It is indeed a more active and healthy place. We have an abundant supply of fresh fruits, veggies and seafood.
On the other hand medical facilities are pretty grim compared to any large city on the mainland and we got so spoiled with Northwestern Hospital in Chicago, that if either of us get really sick (or need important testing) and we can afford it, that is where we will head.
Mella, why would you be applying to a Hilo Physician if you don't live here??? Are you finally moving here? !!! If so, yipee[
]! We found a local Dr. who had just moved here a few years ago, and interestingly, he was also a college room mate of a friend of ours. He accepts our California Blue Cross (Cobra) too. That insurance ends in December and so far the best we have been able to get is HIPAA coverage which is ridiculously lean in coverage. We are still waiting to hear from Kaiser. HSMA turned us down because of my husband's blood pressure meds. Before we got our Dr. here I came down with H1-N1 flu and went to an Immediate Care facility and was able to see a Dr. for $125 (office visit) plus the tests they required. Not bad at all. Since I am healthy, going to a local Dr. for flu symptoms is fine, but I am more than concerned as to what we will face when we are older and there are more serious issues. They do not even have some of the diagnostic testing needed here. My husband already had a yearly physical here and it was far less comprehensive than any mainland Dr. he has seen in the past. He even had to ask him to do a prostate exam and his father died of prostate cancer.
I also have a good friend here whose husband here has lymphoma. He has spent a lot of time in Honolulu @ Queens. He is in fact there for round two of his latest Chemo treatments. They have a school age daughter and so my friend has to stay here while he is over there alone for several weeks at a time, basically suffering through the effects of his treatments. That sucks, but as Rooster says, we do live in a rural community, even if Hilo is the second largest town in Hawaii, it is small by most standards and our population is very spread out. I have been to many third world countries and believe me this is far better than care in most of them, except maybe Cuba [
]. Still it is something for many to consider before moving here and one reason many people eventually leave the island and go back to the mainland. I guess the bottom line here is that if you really want exceptionally good healthcare at a reasonable price you should not live here. On the other hand, live here and you will probably need less health care and what you get for most minor problems will be fine.
After all,we have a very low suicide rate here.[xx(]
Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany
www.myhawaiianhome.blogspot.com
www.eastbaypotters.blogspot.com
RE: Healthcare - macuu222 - 10-08-2009
The Big Island has one of the best surgeons "in the nation" living and working right here in Hilo. Dr. Pierce moved here recently from the mainland. He's been offered more money if he moves and practices on Oahu, but he likes it here. We are very fortunate to have him here. He operated on me a few weeks ago in "Hilo Medical Center" for Colon Cancer. This guy is unbelieveable....everything from his experience and skill with the latest techniques to his bedside manner were top notch. And the facilities and technicians at Hilo Medical Center were as good as any "mainland" hospital. I was in there for almost a week. They not only saved my life...but allowed me to live for another twenty years or more! Yes...they got all the cancer before it started to spread thanks to a routine colonoscopy screening.
BTW...If your a male over 50...Get it checked! It could save your life also!
Yes we are short of doctors on this island....But what we do have in many instances is just as good or better than having it done on Oahu or the mainland
RE: Healthcare - JerryCarr - 10-08-2009
Macuu222, glad to hear of your good prognosis and good treatment! Colonoscopies do indeed save lives and anyone over 50 or over 40 with a family history should get one. Don't mean to hijack the thread, but this is important.
RE: Healthcare - Bullwinkle - 10-08-2009
agreed ... for those in doubt - the worst part is the beverage.... I was awake, with the program (my choice) - my guy wanting to talk boats! ( black fin trawlers - good taste) I complied without complaint.
congrats in cheating the reaper - good on you
Get it one every 5
RE: Healthcare - whalesong - 10-08-2009
Here are some links that will help anyone that would rather do treatment at home.
http://www.naturalhealthlibrary.com/
http://www.charcoalremedies.com/poisons
http://www.herbreference.com/
RE: Healthcare - Kelena - 10-08-2009
I was supposed to be awake for mine, but everyone in the room, including me, quickly agreed that was probably not a good idea. I was given a heady cocktail of Demoral and Fen-er-something. As I went under, I was singing and propositioning both nurses. Only one of the nurses was amused. I awoke feeling refreshed, violated and hopeful about the future. The one nurse was disappointed when I didn't want to see the pictures and I was disappointed when the other nurse didn't ask me out. As just a spoonful of medicine goes a very long way with me, I walked around grinning like a loon anyway for about a week.
Guys -- don't miss this. And God doesn't want you to be awake for this.