Hilo Medical Center Replacing 28-Year-Old Refrigerators

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has released $1.7 million in capital improvement funds to replace aging refrigerators at Hilo Medical Center.

The units have been in place since 1985, when the hospital was built, HMC officials said.

“I would like to thank the governor for releasing funds to replace our aging refrigeration units, a key component of one of the most essential services in the hospital,” said Howard Ainsley, CEO of the East Hawaii Region of Hawaii Health Systems Corporation.

“Hilo Medical Center is a full-service hospital and operates as a little city within Hilo,” Ainsley said. “The new equipment will ensure that we continue to meet food safety requirements and provide nutritious meals to our patients, visitors and staff.”

Elvie Bagay, a registered nurse at Kohala Hospital, checks patient data using the Electronic Medical Record System. Courtesy photo.

On average, the hospital’s Food and Nutrition Services Department prepares upwards of 875 meals per day for patients, visitors and staff, he said.

The funding was a part of $21.7 million allocated Thursday for state hospitals within the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation.

That includes $14 million for the electronic records system at hospitals statewide.

Another $4.75 million was earmarked for renovations to the imaging, laboratory and oncology departments at Maui Memorial Medical Center.