Hamakua-Kohala Health Center patients no longer have to worry about getting to and from their medical appointments. A Waiwai Ola grant from AlohaCare, a nonprofit health plan, helped Hamakua-Kohala Health solve a serious issue for its patients: access to medical care due to lack of transportation.
Hamakua-Kohala Health used the grant to purchase a new seven-passenger van and partially fund a new Mobile Care Coordinator position. Since launching in April, the new transportation initiative has served more than 200 patients and logged over 8,000 miles.
A van dedicated to serving residents in North Hawaii is a cost-effective and reliable solution for Hamakua-Kohala Health patients. If this service was not available, patients would have to arrange trips via taxis that come from outside the immediate area and can be costly.
“We are grateful to AlohaCare for empowering us as a community health center,” said Irene Carpenter, Hamakua-Kohala Health’s chief executive officer. “This grant allowed us to solve one of our most pressing problems.” She added that the van has made an immediate and positive impact, and acknowledged AlohaCare’s generosity as the transportation option is available to all Hamakua-Kohala Health patients, not just AlohaCare members.