Slump forces Rehab Hospital to shut some clinics - Hawaii News

Burdened by inadequate cost reimbursements, the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific is closing some outpatient clinics and enhancing its inpatient program to care for more acute and complex patients, says Clair Jones, president and chief executive officer.

[Keaulike]

While not mentioned in this article, hopefully, RHOP will improve its facility, and train its workers adequately, to accept acute spinal cord injury, and traumatic brain injury, patients who require tracheostomy and ventilator assistance to breathe while undergoing aggressive rehabilitation. At present, these patients need to be medevaced to the mainland to spinal cord centers of excellence in California, Colorado and Texas to name a few becasue RHOP is not equipped to care for patients requiring mechanical ventilation. This is a huge stressor for acutely injured patients and their families and generally requires transportation in a medical jet ambulance, costing an average of ~$60,000 to California. It is time that Hawaii entered the 21st Century relative to rehabilitation and, hopefully, RHOP is beginning to realize this. Good luck! Keaulike RN

[Keaulike]

I'm in downtown Honolulu NOT Winston Salem NC - where did dat come from??????????