KEALAKEKUA, HAWAI‘I – West Hawaii Region (WHR) of Hawaii Health Systems Corporation today announced the acquisition of Ali‘i Health Center (AHC), bringing its outpatient clinics into the region’s healthcare delivery network. As part of the transition, Ali‘i Health Center will now operate as Kona Health, a clinical department of Kona Community Hospital (KCH). The transition will allow Kona Health to expand into a provider-based rural health center, providing greater access to specialty services and additional resources with the support of KCH.

“Ali‘i Health Center has long been a vital source of services in our community, and bringing it directly under Kona Community Hospital marks a major step forward for healthcare in West Hawai‘i,” said Clayton McGhan, CEO of WHR. “This brings that relationship into a single, more integrated system of care built around our patients, their families and their health. By aligning our workforce, services and hospital capacity with the needs of Hawai‘i Island residents, we are building a more sustainable future for the communities we serve.”

Patients may continue to see their trusted physician at their same clinic locations, with no changes to accepted insurance. As part of a fully integrated healthcare system, patients will also benefit from greater access to diagnostic services, smoother specialty referrals, and better coordination of care between clinics, outpatient services, the emergency department and KCH.

Operating as Kona Health, the clinics are now supported by the regional health system’s wider infrastructure, patient programs and dedicated hospital support teams. This ensures that clinical and hospital services are supported by KCH’s resources, providing every patient with comprehensive quality care that extends from routine preventative wellness to ongoing treatment.

“For patients, this means a system of care that wraps around them and their families for whatever comes next. Their trusted providers are now connected more closely with the full resources of Kona Community Hospital,” said McGhan.

KEALAKEKUA, HAWAIʻI — West Hawaii Region (WHR) announced today a $2,088,560 grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to the West Hawaii Region Hospital Foundation (WHRHF) to establish an adolescent inpatient behavioral health unit at Kona Community Hospital (KCH). The hospital’s existing inpatient behavioral health department, Kalani Ola, will be renovated and include five pediatric beds, a 17% increase to Hawaiʻi’s total adolescent behavioral health capacity. This adolescent unit will be the only of its kind outside of O‘ahu.

“Youth who arrive at KCH’s emergency department in behavioral health crisis sometimes have to wait up to five to six weeks for an available bed on Oʻahu,” said Clayton McGhan, CEO of WHR. “When a bed does open, they are flown by air ambulance, separating them from their families during a vulnerable moment of their life.

This grant allows us to care for our community right here at home, and for that we are grateful for the Helmsley Charitable Trust. The Trust’s partnership through this process and confidence in our vision has been remarkable.”

Kalani Ola opened in 2001 and was originally designed with an adolescent behavioral health unit in mind. Since then, Kalani Ola has been providing adult behavioral health care through self-care enhancement, symptom stabilization and community reintegration services. Through funding from Helmsley, the facility will renovate the

space adding indoor common areas, adolescent beds and outdoor common areas for adolescent care. In addition, staff training, IT infrastructure and culturally resonant practices will be integrated into the adolescent program.

“Solving the youth behavioral health crisis requires a comprehensive level of care that addresses service gaps, tailors to cultural nuances, and takes place in local

communities,” said Walter Panzirer, a trustee of the Helmsley Charitable Trust. “Kalani Ola’s new adolescent behavioral health unit will serve as an important step towards

ensuring every child has the chance to heal close to home with family and loved ones.”

WHRHF is the official philanthropic partner of WHR and its hospitals, advancing its shared mission and priorities through community-supported giving. WHRHF was instrumental in bringing this project together, cultivating relationships with the

community and with funders like the Helmsley Charitable Trust. The foundation will continue to pursue major grants and gifts that expand care for Hawaiʻi Island families.

“We’re deeply grateful to Helmsley for this grant, and for the care they have shown in understanding our needs and prioritizing our most pressing issues,” said Amy Feeley-

Austin, president of WHRHF and COO of WHR. “We couldn’t be more thankful for what this means for every adolescent who comes to us seeking critical behavioral health care. For so many young people, this care will be life-changing.”

“I have long supported efforts to expand health care capacity in West Hawaiʻi, and I’m proud the Legislature recognized the importance of maintaining this project in the state budget,” said  Governor Josh Green. “This investment is an important step toward building a stronger, more resilient health care system that meets the growing needs of the community.”

The funding, finalized with passage of the state budget, represents a significant investment in expanding access to essential outpatient services and strengthening the health care system for residents of West Hawaiʻi.

“This investment is a powerful commitment to the people oh Hawai‘i island,” said Clayton McGhan, CEO of the West Hawaii Region, HHSC. “It allows us to expand outpatient capacity and ensure that more residents can receive timely, high-quality care closer to home.”

The Outpatient Care Center has been a longstanding priority for West Hawaii Region, addressing critical needs for expanded outpatient services and reducing barriers to care for families. Securing and preserving funding required a sustained advocacy and leadership throughout the legislative session.

“Delivering this $50 million investment for West Hawaiʻi is the result of strong collaboration and a shared commitment to our community,” said Senator Dru Kanuha. “This investment
creates a catalyst for the health care infrastructure needed to meet the growing demands of the region.”

West Hawaiʻi Region also thanked the House Finance and Senate Ways and Means Committees for recognizing the importance of the project and maintaining their support through complex budget deliberations.

“For years I have fought to improve health care in West Hawaii because I have heard from district residents about the lack of specialists, long travel times, and limited access to essential services, said Representative Nicole Lowen. “This funding is about more than a building; it is the anchor that will lead to a new hospital in North Kona, and will ensure the continued improvement of our health care capacity and services well into the future”

“In a rural community like West Hawaiʻi, access to health care is not guaranteed, it is something we have to intentionally invest in and fight for, said Representative Kirstin Kahaloa. “This funding for the Outpatient Care Center is a critical step toward ensuring our families can receive timely, high-quality care closer to home. It reflects our commitment to health equity and to meeting our community where they are.”

The Outpatient Care Center will further strengthen a public-private partnership between the State of Hawaiʻi and The Queen’s Health Systems. With the state’s investment in the Outpatient Care Center and Queen’s development of its hospital, the collaboration will deliver a more comprehensive and coordinated system of care for West Hawaiʻi.

“By pairing state investment with private development, we are maximizing the impact of public funds and building a more resilient health care system for our community,” Jason Chang, President and CEO of The Queen’s Health Systems, said. “This project will improve access, enhance health outcomes, and support the long term well being of our West Hawai‘i residents. We are incredibly thankful to area legislators, Governor Green, and the entire legislature for their investment in the health care of our state.”

The expanded Infusion Center is in response to the growing demand for infusion and oncology services in West Hawai‘i and reflects the region’s commitment to expanding access to care while enhancing the patient experience. The center doubles the treatment capacity from six to 12 infusion chairs and enhances patient comfort with privacy barriers between areas.

The facility includes a negative-pressure isolation room designed to accommodate higher risk patients and procedures previously performed in the surgical suite due to space constraints. By relocating these services to the Infusion Center, Kona Community Hospital is improving its convenience and continuity of care for patients. The center also features a dedicated waiting area for families, along with ADA-compliant restrooms, creating a more accessible, supportive, patient-centered environment.

“The expanded Infusion Center is a meaningful investment in West Hawaiʻi’s health care infrastructure,” said Senator Dru Kanuha. “By increasing capacity and improving access to critical outpatient services, this project helps ensure our residents can receive high-quality care in their own community. I’m proud of the Legislature’s support for this effort and grateful to the health care teams who serve our community every day.”

During the blessing remarks were provided by Clayton McGhan, CEO of West Hawaii Region of HHSC, Representative Kirstin Kahaloa, and Hawai‘i County Mayor Kimo Alameda, who reflected on the transformation of the space and its significance for the community. Remarks were also provided by Joshua Stolaroff, grandson of Milton and Ursula Stolaro, whose foundation had donated a sizeable amount toward the project.

HONOLULU – In a landmark partnership, Hawai‘i’s largest private health care organization has teamed up with the state’s provider of acute and long-term care across the islands to improve health care delivery in the growing west region of Hawaiʻi Island.

The Queen’s Health Systems (Queen’s) and Hawaii Health Systems Corporation (HHSC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly develop an Outpatient Care Center in Kona that will house clinical services and office space and ensure continuity of care for patients throughout the community. Under this collaboration, Queen’s will donate approximately three to five acres of land to HHSC’s West Hawaii Region as the future site of a 50,000+-square-foot medical facility adjacent to the new hospital that Queen’s has already announced it is building.

“This new Outpatient Care Center will provide a seamless transition between inpatient and outpatient care, while creating a one-stop hub for primary and specialty care services that will reduce wait and travel times for patients,” said Jason Chang, President and CEO, The Queen’s Health Systems. “We are pleased to enter into this partnership with the state to deliver the care this community needs.”

HHSC is asking for an initial $50 million in state funding support for the planning, design, and site work of the new facility. As the project progresses, additional funding requests are expected to ensure the facility’s completion.

“This partnership represents exactly the kind of investment Hawai‘i Island needs and deserves,” said Governor Green. “By joining forces, Queen’s and HHSC are expanding access to primary and specialty care, reducing travel and wait times, and strengthening the healthcare workforce in West Hawai‘i. The state is proud to support this effort, and this new Outpatient Care Center will bring us closer to ensuring every family can receive high-quality care in their own community.”

This historic public-private partnership represents a unique opportunity to expand access to essential health care services for a growing community, made possible through a shared investment between the state and Queen’s.

“We are always exploring ways to improve health care delivery, with our focus being on strengthening access, addressing physician shortages, and keeping care local,” said Clayton McGhan, CEO, West Hawaii Region, HHSC. “Patients have already begun seeing the benefit of our collaboration, as Queen’s surgeons are now rotating at Kona Community Hospital. Together, we are working to recruit much-needed providers and expand specialty care, and our planned Outpatient Care Center is a crucial component of our joint efforts.”

The new Outpatient Care Center will be located in the central part of Kailua-Kona to ensure area patients have easy access to services. The construction of the new medical center is expected to provide jobs and once completed will enhance West Hawaii Region’s ability to attract and retain providers at a time when the region is facing a critical physician shortage.

The expansion includes a new compounding suite that will allow KCH to safely prepare medications – including chemotherapy drugs – on site.

“It will bring important efficiencies to our operations and, more importantly, better serve our patients by eliminating the need to outsource this critical service,” said Clayton McGhan, West Hawaii Region CEO.

Joining Governor Green at the blessing ceremony were Senate President Ron Kouchi, Sen. Dru Kanuha, Rep. Kirstin Kahaloa, and Sen. Tim Richards.

The new facility supports longer beyond-use dates, which improves efficiency and reduces labor and material costs. It also strengthens KCH’s emergency preparedness by increasing the volume of compounded medications on site, and enhances KCH’s ability to provide oncology and other specialized treatments.

“Today marks more than just the completion of a construction project; it represents a major advancement in how we care for our community,” said Rick Cleave, Kona Community Hospital interim regional director of pharmacy.

With this expansion, many patients, who previously needed to travel to Hilo or Oahu for treatment, can instead receive care closer to home.

The $2.3 million pharmacy expansion project was funded by the Hawaii State Legislature and Governor Green’s administration. The new compounding suite is expected to be fully operational by the end of the summer.

This initiative brings together Kona Community Hospital, Kohala Hospital, and provider groups from Queen’s and Ali‘i Health Center under a unified effort to keep care local and strengthen specialty services on the island.

The groundbreaking agreement allows health care providers from all three organizations to deliver services across each other’s facilities, creating a seamless, patient-centered care experience and enhancing access to specialized care close to home.

“This agreement represents a huge step forward in how we collaborate to meet the needs of our West Hawai‘i communities,” said Dr. Jeffrey Palmgren, Chief Medical Officer of WHR. “By sharing our workforce and aligning our goals, we can build a true physician group culture that supports our current providers, attracts new talent, and ultimately keeps our patients from having to leave the island to get the care they need.”

The shared workforce model is designed to:

• Keep health care local by reducing the need for off-island referrals
• Expand access to a broader spectrum of specialty care
• Foster a unified physician group culture for improved recruitment and retention
• Develop a pipeline of future providers through Graduate Medical Education

“At Queen’s, we are deeply committed to our mission to provide quality health care services to improve the well-being of all the people of Hawai‘i,” said Dr. Whitney Limm, Executive Vice President of Clinical Integration and Chief Physician Executive at The Queen’s Health Systems. “This partnership sets the stage for sustainable growth in the region’s health care system, ensuring that patients receive high-quality, coordinated care.”

Dr. Daphne Edmonston Hemmings, a general surgeon with Queen’s University Medical Group (QUMG), will be the first physician to provide care to West Hawai‘i patients under this new agreement starting June 6, 2025. QUMG is a prestigious team of more than 750 providers representing 17 specialties.

“We thank West Hawaii Region and Ali‘i Health Center for this innovative partnership that will deliver access to a broader network of providers and services, advance workforce development, and improve the overall health of West Hawai‘i communities,” said Dr. Rick Bruno, President of QUMG. “Queen’s is pleased that this agreement will mean better care and an enhanced experience for patients on Hawai‘i Island.”

“This partnership reflects the power of working together with a shared vision of community-centered care,” added Dennis Tognoli, Interim CEO of Ali‘i Health Center. “We’re proud to be part of this initiative, which will expand services, improve continuity of care, and create new opportunities to grow our local health care workforce.”

“When people walk through our doors, we want them to feel seen and heard. We want them to know that they matter to us, and we will do everything we can to provide the personalized care and attention they and their families deserve,” said Clayton McGhan, CEO of West Hawaii Region and Kona Community Hospital. “Each person’s medical needs and preferred care are as unique as they are, and they deserve to be treated with compassion.”

The new brand means a fresh look, complete with a reimagined set of logos and color palette. The bold triangles are culturally significant, paying homage to the sails of Polynesian voyaging canoes and symbolizing the commitment to navigating each medical journey in a collaborative, innovative way that moves health care in West Hawaii forward.

The colors thoughtfully represent each hospital’s unique location and cultural connection. The teal for Kona Community Hospital is reflective of the waters off Kealakekua that are visible from the hospital campus. The earthy red for Kohala

Hospital signifies the richness of the land there and the culture rooted in the area’s history. The golden yellow of the regional logo is reminiscent of the sun that shines light and fosters life and growth across the region.

Over the next weeks and months, the hospitals will gradually begin integrating the new logos and colors, but the essence of each facility and the West Hawaii Region remains unchanged and true to its core.

“We are a family, and to us, each person who comes in here becomes part of our family,” said McGhan. “Our commitment is more than a word. It is our promise to our community that at Kona Community Hospital and Kohala Hospital, you will be treated with respect, understanding, and aloha. Here, you will feel safe and protected. We are here to serve and provide you with exemplary care each step of your medical journey.”