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Healthcare Forum: Building a Healthy Community after COVID-19 CHAMINADE PRESIDENT LYNN BABINGTON, PhD, HOSTED AN ENGAGING AND TIMELY FORUM AT THE UNIVERSITY ON APRIL 6 TO EXPLORE THE POST-PANDEMIC HEALTHCARE NEEDS OF HAWAI'I’S COMMUNITIES, HOW INNOVATION CAN PLAY A ROLE IN ADDRESSING INEQUITIES IN CARE, AND WHAT TYPE OF HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE THE STATE SHOULD BUILD TO ADDRESS GAPS IN SERVICES AND ENSURE THE BEST OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
The University’s School of Nursing and Health Professions organized the event— called “Looking Forward: Building a Healthy Community After COVID-19 — to mark National Public Health Week. Lt. Gov. Josh Green, an emergency room physician and Hawai'i’s COVID-19 Liaison, The Queen’s Health Systems President and CEO Dr. Jill Hoggard Green, Waimānalo Health Center CEO Dr. Mary Frances Oneha and Healthcare Association of Hawai'i President and CEO Hilton Raethel, tackled key questions as the event’s panelists. COVID’S EXPOSURE OF VULNERABILITIES
All of them agreed the pandemic exposed significant vulnerabilities in Hawai'i’s healthcare system, including a shortage of key medical professionals in disadvantaged and rural communities. The health impacts of COVID on the hardest-hit populations, they added, could be felt for years and years to come. But, said Dr. Jill Hoggard Green, there is reason for optimism. “As we step out of this, we have learned so much,” she said. “The innovation and
the ability for us to lean in—between government, business leaders, healthcare and all of our communities—has helped us demonstrate we can do so much more. We need the next generation and we need a lot of innovation.” Oneha added that it’s important to note that healthcare inequities don’t happen in a vacuum. Addressing social community needs, including unemployment, poverty, food insecurity, homelessness and education, is part of working to ensure healthier outcomes. Lt. Gov. Josh Green agreed that addressing the healthcare provider shortage is key to helping communities meet post-pandemic needs, and said the surge in telehealth services because of COVID-19 could be a real opportunity to expand access to care. “It’s particularly good that programs like Chaminade's are ramping us up and creating more nurses, nurse practitioners,” he added. Raethel said the healthcare system also needs more investment, including from government, and a renewed focus on preventative care centered around innovation. “We need to move in that direction. We need to invest in communities,” he said. “It’s a real challenge getting equal access to care.”
“The innovation and the ability for us to lean in—between government, business leaders, healthcare and all of our communities—has helped us demonstrate we can do so much more.”
