54 layoffs diagnosed at Kona hospital

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...just trying to add my responses to the other comments, using those cute icons

The budget shortfall is not just a Hawaii healthcare problem. As a former HHSC VP and interim CEO, HI is faced with the same lack of reimbursement and high healthcare costs as on the mainland. Since leaving HHSC, I have since worked for three mainland hospitals systems and all of them face the same problems as HI. Hospitals are closing nationally and the state needs to provide higher financial assistance in order to provide the quality care that is necessary to support the population of HI. With the high unemployment in HI, it would be a shame that HHSC will have to take drastic steps to either reduce staff or services. Don't blame the management of HHSC. They are doing their best under very difficult economic times. Hospitals nationally are centralizating their services and a system-wide approach is the only answer, not individual hospitals trying to do their own thing. Remember, the State hospitals were dying prior to 1996 and before HHSC took management responsibilities.

This is a much better presentation than that in the other paper. I know that the HHSC is a tough job, but thanks to Tom Driskill for keeping afloat a sinking ship for many years. He is a true hero, not a villain.

Dysato says it well

I am so right again.

HHSC is not what you think it is... Thank Mr. Driskill for keeping the sicking ship afloat.. the same ship they caused to sink.... Top heavy... 4 or 5 Adminitrator's at Kona Comminity Hospital since taking over in 1998... Everytime something happens that is brought up into the public eye with HHSC Kona.... rotation of CEO's....Money made.. then they're gone back to the mainland.....Now it's Earl Greenia's turn to sock it to us.... Layoff of good people....

Recently there was an article written and posted on the West Hawaii Today website entitled “HHSC: Dissolving corporation won’t save any money”. In the article, Kelly Roberson, CFO and COO of HHSC was quoted as saying “You can shut down the whole $8 million corporate office and wouldn’t save a penny for the state,”.
I felt compelled to tell anyone who will listen that they need to be informed about what the payouts really are to both the CEO and CFO of HHSC because it is our tax money that is going to pay for the lucrative contracts that these guys have in place that takes care of them even if they get let go from HHSC.
I encourage anyone who is interested in finding out what was reported by the CPA firm Accuity LLC to the State of Hawaii Office of the Auditor to check out the 73 page report on the internet at this location:

http://www.state.hi.us/auditor/Reports/2008/0...

Go to pages 44 and 45 of the report to the section titled “The Corporation’s Compensation Structure Is Not Comparable to other State Agencies”.
It’s disturbing to discover that Mr. Roberson is correct when he states that we wouldn’t save a penny. In fact, over the long term, we could probably dish out way more than $8 million when you add the CEO and CFO’s combined salaries, housing allowances as well as the retirement benefits (which could include 100% paid medical) that they are entitled to as State of Hawaii employees. If they get let go, they get to take advantage of a healthy severance package. This is just for the two HHSC corporate executives detailed in the report to the auditor. How many other corporate executives at HHSC have similar contracts? Who knows how many other HHSC executives at each facility statewide have this kind of contract as well?
How can there be any trust when the report also details how HHSC’s corporate office refused to sign a representation letter as to the accuracy of their own financial statements?
I am not surprised in the least that our state legislature did not take HHSC seriously enough to reconvene when they reported that services may have to be reduced and employees would have to be laid off. As you all know, our state legislature decided to instead create a task force to deal with a problem they most likely feel is the fault of HHSC itself.
Whoever put together these contracts together for HHSC executives was obviously not looking at the long term impact the expense such contracts would take on the patients HHSC was designed to serve, the employees who will wind up without a job and state taxpayers as a whole.