Today, our group traveled to the town of Ka’u in the Pāhala area. This is a rural area that struggles with access to health care. We were inspired by pioneers developing unique delivery models for their community.
We met with Auntie Jesse Marques at the Ka’u Resource and Distance Learning Center. She spoke with the students about creating a Certified Nurse Assistant program for local residents. She also presented on their comprehensive HRSA Telemedicine Unit.
Merilyn Harris, Administrator of the Ka’u Critical Access Hospital and Rural Health Clinic, gave us a tour and shared the benefits and challenges of delivering health care in this rural area of the Island.
Auntie Jesse provided lunch at the Punalu’u Beach Park. The sand at this park is black (basalt from lava flowing to the ocean and exploding as it cools). We were lucky enough to see multiple Green Sea Turtles!
The instructors ended the day at Lucy’s with Judy and David Mikami from Molokai. This couple was instrumental in setting up a local dialysis clinic on the remote island of Molokai, saving residents time, money, and stress. Without this clinic, residents would need to fly to Oahu multiple times a week. Judy is a nurse and David is a pharmacist.
We had a rewarding and inspiring day in Ka’u!
