Pahoa or Kea'au family health centers

[sittall]

Has anyone used these clinics? Anyone there you would recommend or NOT recommend?

Thanks for any help.

[uneedawish]

I have used Pahoa family health center for 6 years, very little problems.

[uneedawish]

Dr. Fujimura the best Dr. I have ever had.

[macuu222]

Both are good places. Just be prepared for long waits...

[missydog1]

I know someone who liked Dr. Funimura enough to follow her to Pahoa from Kea'au. 5-10 years ago the Bay Clinic sucked IMHO, but things have changed. One of the biggest changes being they will now commit to giving you appointments and with the same doctor, whereas for years there was little or no continuity of care and you had to wait 2-3 months for appt if you didn't want to do walk in first thing when they opened.

I think Bay Clinic is the only provider taking new patients with HMSA Quest, so they do have a heavy load on their shoulders. One problem they still have, I was told, is a director from Florida who does not get the differences here. Also they have a zero pain med policy so if you have any chronic pain needing management they will refer you to a pain clinic for that treatment.

My PCP is another practice, but I've been to Kea'au for some other services and find the people there very good. From my observation, the Kea'au people manage their schedule better if being seen on time is an issue.

[sittall]

Just made an appt with Dr. Fujimura at the Pahoa FHC. Wait is 4 weeks for an appt. but am glad to get someone that others feel is a good doctor. Thanks again for the responses and recommendation. So glad we have Punaweb as a resource.

[Kapohocat]

My husband has used the Bay Clinic system since he moved here. Pretty much no problems most of the time except for a short period when his doctor retired and he got some wackadoodle that said ADHD did not exist. She moved on, and Robert's last two docs - one being Peggy Fujimura, were pretty good.

Our issue is prescription - the routine changes it seems almost monthly. Doc blamed pharmacy, pharmacy blamed clinic, etc.

I spoke with Peggy a year or so ago, and she said we do the best we can and some fall through the cracks. She seemed to think I had a "strong" enough personality to be a good patient advocate for my hubby. I said I wished I did not need to be, and that it just all worked the same every month.

[csgray]

Cat,
There is a national supply issue with ADHD drugs that stems from how the pharma companies are authorized in advance to produce certain amounts of the drugs, but supply has been outstripping demand for several years now. So part of the problem may be at the wholesale supply end. I know parents who drive to Kona, and one even had to fly to Oahu, to get their kids the meds they need to be able to keep it together in school. The government is so afraid people will use these drugs for recreation that they make it really hard for legitimate patients to get what they need.

There is a certain irony to this on an island where ice is readily available for people who want to fry their brains with speed.

Carol

[Rene Siracusa]

I was a patient at Pahoa Family Health Center for many years, until I started having problems with scheduling: waited 4 weeks to be seen,then the provider wasn't there and had to wait another 45 days. By that time my complaint had gotten much worse. I demanded my chart and have moved on. I support the Puna Community Medical Center's urgent care clinic in Pahoa as a volunteer and hope that soon they will be able to become PCPs (primary care providers) to those residents who are dissatisfied with the Bay Clinic operations. I like having options and alternatives.

[Frankie Stapleton]

I moved on from any Bay Clinic operations after a variety of problems over the years; won't go to one now if you paid me.

Dr. Stefan Harmeling in Hilo is a good, young, knowledgeable dr. taking new primary patients; I've been going to him for several years now. Be sure to ask for Dr. Harmeling, don't settle for Dr. Hart Miller, his partner. It's listed as Aloha Nui Family Practice www.alohanuifamilypractice.com phone 961-1400. I asked him just yesterday if he was accepting new patients and he replied in the affirmative. Located on Kilauea Ave. next door to the Ben Franklin Bldg.

BTW, did Gary call you back? [:X]