Kaiser makes changes
to its Windward clinics

The HMO will close its facility
in Kailua and expand in Kaneohe

In a move the company says will expand services for Windward residents, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, the state's largest health maintenance organization, plans to close its Kailua clinic and expand facilities in Kaneohe.

Kaiser decided to move because its lease in Kailua is set to expire in the next few years, said Scott Nariyoshi, a Kaiser spokesman. Instead of renewing the lease in Kailua, he said, the company has opted to build a new two-story building in Kaneohe and renovate its Koolau clinic, which is located on land owned by Kaiser.

The move, expected to take place in 2008, will significantly expand Kaiser's Windward facilities and services, which are housed in the 11,400-square foot Kaneohe clinic and 8,000-square foot Kailua facility, said Lynn Kenton, a Kaiser spokeswoman.

The new Kaneohe facility will roughly double the combined square footage of the Kailua and Kaneohe facilities and double the amount of parking in Kaneohe, Kenton said.

Although Kailua residents will have to drive farther for services, Nariyoshi said they will be able to receive a broader array of services.

"When you go to the new clinic you can get more things done at the same place," he said.

The new facility will include new services for X-ray, obstetrics, gynecology and physical therapy, Nariyoshi said.

Doctors will remain at the Kailua clinic until the new facility opens, then move to Kaneohe, allowing for a "seamless transition" for patients who now use the Kailua clinic, Kenton said. She declined to say how many patients use the Kailua clinic.

The move comes after Kaiser opened two new clinics last year, bringing its total number to 17, including the Kailua clinic. The company last year announced plans for a $68 million expansion and renovation of its Moanalua Medical Center, which Kenton said is expected to open in 2009.