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History
of West Kauai Medical Center
With the need
for healthcare in the community evident, the Waimea Hospital and
Morgue was built in 1927 at the end of Ola Road. The facility was
supported by the three neighboring plantations and local businesses
in the area.
By 1957, great strides in technology and hospital care gave rise
to the need for a larger facility. The hospital managing committee
spearheaded the building of KVMH. Stocked with the latest of equipment,
KVMH opened with private rooms equipped with toilet facilities,
air conditioned surgeries, and wards. It was considered “state of
the art” in those years. The original Waimea Hospital was transformed
into the Waimea Dispensary.
In 1993, responding to our community’s needs, a new Medical Surgical
Acute Care wing was built with capital improvement funding (CIP)
and added on to the then current structure.
In 1996, Legislature created the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation
to govern the community hospitals that were under the direction
of the State of Hawaii, Department of Health, Division of Community
Hospitals. Being part of the system has brought KVMH many benefits
including teleradiography, telemedicine, video teleconferencing,
and patient management information systems.
1996 also brought the opening of The Kawaiola Medical Office Building
attached to KVMH. It was built with CIP funds secured by Representative
Bertha Kawakami.
In 1999, the
medical campus, now called West Kauai Medical Center, established
primary care clinic services in the Kawaiola Building and at Eleele.
In 2001, KVMH was the first hospital in Hawaii to be designated
a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) by the federal government ensuring
rural communities access to needed medical services through federal
cost reimbursement. It is also the only CAH hospital in Hawaii that
is fully accredited by JCAHO -Joint Commission for Accreditation
of Hospital Organizations.
That same year, Ho’ola Lahui Hawaii (HLH) opened discussions with
KVMH regarding the establishment of a Federally Qualified Health
Clinic on the West Kauai Medical Center campus. KVMH supported this
concept and the resulting collaboration is a model for providing
rural communities with a full continuum of care while operating
efficiently and effectively through improved utilization of services
and resources.
In April 2003, KVMH celebrated the remodeled obstetrics unit, which
includes labor delivery recovery postpartum rooms, a new nursery
and nursing station. This important renovation was supported by
grant monies from the McInerny Foundation, Wilcox Foundation and
the KVMH Charitable Foundation.
June 2008 statistics show that we delivered 262 babies this fiscal
year. Our signature “baby feet” tells you that you are in The Family
Birth Center.
In December 2004, the purchase of Kalaheo Clinic expanded primary
care and clinic specialty services. Provider specialties currently
include Pediatrics, Family Practice, Internal Medicine, Women’s
Health, Obstetrics, Gynecology, General Surgery, Orthopedics and
Sports Medicine. Visiting consultants include Cardiology, Nephrology
and Podiatry.
Our clinic provider complement includes fifteen physicians and a
Nurse Practitioner offering a continuum of care to address the expanding
medical needs of our island community.
The hospital celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2007.
2009
The Eleele Clinic is moving to a new, bigger location early this
year to provide space for more physicians and exam rooms to handle
the growing number of patients.
Our vision for West Kauai Medical Center / KVMH is to continue serving
the west side communities by providing quality health care and enhancing
that “personal touch.”
Fundraising
The KVMH Auxiliary
is very active in raising funds for patient equipment, services,
and other hospital needs. It runs the KVMH Gift Shop. Each year
their Holiday Craft Fair & Raffle is a delight for the community,
staff, residents, and visitors.
The KVMH Charitable Foundation formed in 1998 has a charter to raise
funds for larger capital hospital needs. It has hosted the Red Hat/Purple
Dress gatherings for years. In 2007 the foundation planned our 50th
Anniversary Celebration with the help of the Auxiliary – A Luau
Under the Palms.
Please help continue the tradition (ho’omau) of West Kauai health
care services! Both the Auxiliary and Foundation are in search of
energetic individuals who are interested in becoming members of
these organizations and mobilizing their campaigns for the future.
Contact us for more
information on the KVMH Auxiliary and KVMH Charitable Foundation.
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