HHSC East Hawai’i Seeks Community Input

Hawai’i Health Systems Corporation’s East Hawai’i region will hold two community meetings that hope to obtain community input regarding the recent service cutbacks and workforce reductions.

Hilo Medical Center officials invite the public to attend its meeting, which will be located at its second floor Learning Center on Wednesday, June 3 at 5 p.m.

An additional meeting will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, June 15 at Hale Ho’ola Hamakua.

Discussion at both meetings will revolve around work service reductions. Additionally, Wednesday’s meeting will also focus on the closure of home care services.

The meetings follow a May 19 announcement that seven percent of the total workforce at HHSC’s East Hawai’i region will be laid off, equaling about 87 employees. East Hawai’i’s HHSC is made up of HMC, Ka’u Hospital, and Hale Ho’ola Hamakua.

A reduction in services was also announced, including the closure of home care services and one wing of adult inpatient psychiatric care at HMC. Long term care beds will also be reduced at all three care facilities.