Ex-HMA president sees
Straub move as bad sign
Straub Clinic & Hospital's move to replace staff physicians in four departments with outsourced doctors is a sign of the financial stress at Hawaii hospitals, according to the former head of a state doctors group.
Straub said yesterday it is cutting about a dozen physician jobs in pediatrics, obstetrics/ gynecology, occupational medicine and urogynecology. Instead, it is offering the doctors a chance to operate private practices while renting space at Straub's King Street hospital.
"What's happening at Straub is systemic of what's happening to the whole health care industry in Hawaii because of fixed fees," said Dr. Philip Hellreich, past president of the Hawaii Medical Association.
"We got Quest and HMOs and other health plans which are eliminating physician fees. That's why we have major hospitals in financial difficulty," said Hellreich, who is legislative committee chairman at HMA. "Unless something gives, we're going to have a crisis here. Some of our best physicians will leave Hawaii."
Straub officials said the hospital is refocusing on adult specialty services, including heart disease, oncology, orthopedics, gastroenterology and urology. Administrators are also planning to expand the hospital's intensive care unit and emergency and operating rooms.
"The decision was based on our strategy to focus on the services that are in highest demand at our King Street campus," said chief executive Ray Vara.
"Our patients should see uninterrupted service," Vara said. The changes, which will take effect over the next four to six months, do not affect Straub's satellite clinics.
Three years ago, Straub merged with Kapiolani Medical Center and Wilcox Memorial Hospital to create Hawaii Pacific Health.