Hawaii Pacific Health

As part of our mission and commitment to the community, Hawaii Pacific Health‘s medical centers and clinics offer financial assistance for emergency or medically necessary care to qualifying patients through our Financial Assistance Program. We are committed to helping those who need it most, ensuring no one is turned away due to financial hardship. If you or someone you know is facing a medical emergency, we encourage you to explore our assistance options: ? In person: The Financial Services Office at each of our medical centers has financial counselors available to help with the application process. ? Phone: Call 808-522-4013 on Oahu, or toll-free 866-266-3935, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. ? Online: https://lnkd.in/eCaqeMYQ

A new award created this year at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children brought together two individuals who share a unique bond – the award's namesake and the inaugural award recipient. Mika Ohigashi is the brave face behind Mika's Courage and Resiliency Award, which was established by Mika and her family to honor Kapiolani patients who have shown resilience through a personal journey or Kapiolani clinicians who have provided exceptional care for others in cardiac care. At the age of 2, Mika had a serious heart condition that required ECMO, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, a lifesaving medical technology that provides temporary support to the heart and lungs when they are unable to function adequately. She also needed transport, dialysis and surgery. Despite her complex medical history, today she is a healthy 8-year-old who enjoys surfing and swimming. Mika's tenacity encourages others to look beyond limitations. The positivity of her parents, Alli and Mark, inspires Kapiolani's health care teams to engage in continuous process improvement and seek innovative solutions for pediatric cardiac care for Hawaii's community. The recipient of this year's award is Meaghan Ababa, a registered nurse in Kapiolani's Carter Unit where she cares for pediatric patients. Like Mika, Meaghan was an ECMO patient almost 20 years ago. In fact, she was Kapiolani's first ECMO patient. In 2006 when she was just 7 years old, Meaghan's heart began to fail due to a heart condition called myocarditis. She was transported by the Air Force on a C-17 Globemaster military aircraft, accompanied by ECMO specialists from Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, to Children's Hospital Los Angeles, where she was able to make a full recovery. "I'm incredibly humbled and honored to receive this award, let alone even be nominated," says Meaghan. "I've been at Kapiolani for six years, and I'm very grateful that I get to share my story. Thank you to Mika and her parents. Mika, you are truly an inspiration, not only to myself as a person, but as a nurse to give my patients the care they deserve and to continue to learn. You and your family are the definition of courage and resilience." Mika and Meaghan’s stories reflect the growth of Kapiolani's pediatric cardiac program and services, strengthened by the resiliency and courage of patients, the dedication of Kapiolani's clinical teams and the support of the Hawaii community.

We're excited to be a part of Hawaii's premier pickleball tournament as Honolulu welcomes the inaugural Hawaii Pacific Health ESPN Honolulu Open, April 10-13, at the Hawaii Convention Center. The tournament will feature more than 33 indoor courts, accommodating a diverse range of players from amateurs to professionals. ?? ?? Not only is this a great event promoting health and wellness, but a portion of the net proceeds from the tournament will support Hui Mahi'ai Aina - Waimanalo Houseless Camp, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for those in need and the houseless population in Waimanalo.

In honor of National Brain Injury Awareness Month in March, Dr. Jennifer King, Hawaii Pacific Health chief of pediatric sports medicine, joined Hawaii News Now with insights on the impacts of traumatic brain injury, how to identify a concussion through its symptoms and steps towards recovery.

During Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in March, here's a reminder not to wait until it's too late. Be proactive about your health and discuss the common signs of colon cancer with your doctor early on. Stay healthy and speak with your doctor about cancer risks, early detection and screenings.

???? Flashback to the 47th annual Hawaii Pacific Health Women’s 10K & 5K Fun Run Jan. 26! Women and girls of all ages laced up their shoes and lined up at Kapiolani Park to make their way through Diamond Head and Kahala as community partners, supporters and volunteers cheered them on. Dr. Mary Craig, a Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children physician, was the first to cross the finish line, completing the 10K in 40 minutes and 35 seconds. This year’s 5K winner was one of the race’s youngest competitors: 13-year-old Hailey Taira, a Mililani Middle School student, who ran the 3.1 miles in 24 minutes and 49 seconds to take first place.

???? Revolutionizing the diagnosis of heart conditions with one test – that's the goal of Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children Pediatric Cardiologist Dr. Andras Bratincsak and his team at Kai Tech, LLC, who recently earned a National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research Award based on a prototype they developed. The award will allow Dr. Bratincsak and the Kai Tech, LLC, team to continue working on this medical breakthrough in collaboration with Hawaii Pacific Health and the University of Hawaii. Their innovative software could improve the accuracy of electrocardiogram (EKG) tests by providing more-comprehensive results, helping medical professionals to accurately identify heart conditions in patients whether they have symptoms or not. This groundbreaking advancement isn't just a win for Hawaii, but potentially for the world as well.

The University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Baseball team and Wichita State faced off in an exciting four-game series Feb. 20-23, and HPH was proud to be a part of the action! From exciting plays to legendary moments, our very own HPH employees and family members took the mound for the ceremonial first pitch at each game! ?? Games 1 and 2 (Feb. 20 & 21): Kyle Morrison, HPH Environmental Services system director stepped up to the mound to kick things off with Bobby Perebzak (#31) catching his pitches. UH Baseball Legend of the night Scott Karl was in the house for game 1 and the Straub Benioff Medical Center Physical and Rehabilitation Therapy team were on-site sharing wellness tips with fans. ? Game 3 (Feb. 22): Jeeter Ishida, husband of HPH Director of Strategy Aisha Ishida, showed off his pitching skills – no surprise becuase he's a two-time Honolulu Star-Bulletin State Player of the Year! The Punahou alum's former coach and UH Baseball icon Derek Tatsuno was the Legend of the night and Itsuki Takemoto (#17) caught the pitch. As it happens, Jeeter was once coached by Derek Tatsuno! Jeeter had the best cheer squad – Aisha and their sons Isaiah, 3, and Elijah. ? Andrew Chun, son of Dr. Les Chun, CEO of Hawaii Pacific Health Medical Group (HPHMG), threw out the first pitch Feb. 23. As his proud family cheered him on, Zach Tenn (#34) caught the pitch and Dr. Christopher Lynch, an HPHMG pediatric sports medicine and UH Baseball volunteer physician, was on hand to offer his congratulatory support. Congrats to the Warriors on a great series!

Knowing what's at the 'heart' of your health could save your life. ?? In honor of American Heart Month, Dr. Carol Lai, a Hawaii Pacific Health Medical Group cardiologist who specializes in advanced heart failure at Straub Benioff Medical Center, shares invaluable insights on cardiovascular disease – from crucial facts to prevention tips and new treatments.

Dr. Andrew Gray, a Hawaii Pacific Health Medical Group cardiologist based at Pali Momi Medical Center, explains many of the heart problems he sees in patients are tied to common chronic health conditions. ?? During American Heart Month in February, he shares how easily we can make small lifestyle adjustments to help prevent heart disease, the leading cause of death in men and women in the United States.