Access to Care study shows troubling trends in community health
By Cynthia Yip
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HONOLULU (KITV) — Healthcare, government and social services partners released troubling results of the Access to Care research initiative study.
The statewide survey looked at understanding local communities’ barriers in getting the care they need to be healthy.
The experts say a big key to improving our health outlook in Hawaii is to recruit kamaiana to return home to practice.
Access to Care is a healthcare assessment that looked at data from 3,300 resident surveys, including input from healthcare and social service providers plus, feedback from policymakers. This assessment was conducted during the Spring of 2022. Concerns from the most vulnerable were highlighted in the webinar.
“The most vulnerable folks lack of providers, concerns about being behind schedule, and have concerns around telehealth,” says Lisa Grove from Grove Insight. “[Those] tend to be [located in] rural Hawaii across the state. Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders, Medquest patients, Neighbor islanders.”
53% of the residents surveyed say they were behind in routine appointments including mammograms, dental visits, and routine checkups that could help determine serious health problems.
49% of the Health Care Providers sampled said they are considering moving to the mainland and a staggering 53% are thinking of retiring or leaving medicine.
Lisa Grove from Grove Insight adds, “Doctors are complaining about a physician shortage and you have the public complaining about a physician shortage. We also have pent up demand.”
They also found a growing divide in our community regarding health care.
“We had a beefy sample of 35 to 40-year-olds: 68% are cutting back on food, 56% are cutting back on health care. 52% say their financial situation is worse. 43% say their physical health is worse. 53 percent say their mental health is worse. And 40% say they are in need of counseling,“ says Grove.
“The data you heard today was sobering, every time I hear it personally it brings me almost to tears,” says Lisa Rantz of the Hilo Medical Center Foundation. “I have goosebumps, with my sons being close to that age where folks are really struggling.”
Convened by Community First, the Access to Care survey is the first step for working groups to move forward in improving healthcare in Hawaii. One solution, is to talk up the health care profession to the young people now in middle and high schools to get them interested. Another: offer incentives for them to one day be part of the health care industry.
In addition, the healthcare experts say more needs to be done to recruit local-born medical professionals who are on the mainland, to return home to Hawaii.
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