What’s New

Congratulations Elvira Molina, Employee of the Month for July 2009
Don't Spread Germs: How to Wash Your Hands Properly and Reduce the Spread of Germs 
A Heartfelt Lesson - Saint Patrick School's Junior Achievement Class Donates to Kuakini Foundation 
Building Demolition
Kuakini Researchers Discover Human Gene Link to Longer Life
Free 15-Minute Express Parking for Kuakini Plaza Pharmacy Patrons

Kuakini Plaza Pharmacy and Convenience Store Hours During Inventory 
Kuakini Plaza Pharmacy and the Convenience store in the Kuakini Medical Plaza will close at 1 p.m. on June 30 for inventory. They will reopen on Wednesday, July 1 (at 8:30 a.m. for the Pharmacy and at 7:30 a.m. for the store).  Both will be closed on July 3 and 4.

2009-H1N1 (Swine) Flu Information
2009-H1N1 Flu (formerly known as swine flu) can spread from person-to-person.  Investigations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local health departments are ongoing. Humans cannot catch this flu virus by eating pork.

Kuakini has a pandemic flu plan and continues to actively monitor the situation. We are coordinating preparations in conjunction with the Healthcare Association of Hawaii and the Hawaii State Department of Health, as are all other health care facilities, to ensure that we are prepared. For more information about 2009-H1N1 Flu and treatment, click on this CDC link  http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/. You can also visit the State of Hawaii Department of Health web site at http://hawaii.gov/health/ for information about recognizing influenza symptoms and managing the flu. 

Visitors should refrain from visiting a health care facility if they have any flu-like symptoms such as a cough, fever or chills, a scratchy or sore throat, body aches, a runny nose, nausea or vomiting.

Kuakini Prepared for MRSA since 1990
Kuakini Health System has been a leader in MRSA prevention since 1990. Six years before the CDC issued its first MRSA guidelines, Kuakini Medical Center implemented a comprehensive MRSA policy that included education and training of health care workers, intensive surveillance for the presence of MRSA in patients, and extensive isolation infection control measures that required isolation of patients with MRSA from others.

2008 National Patient Safety Goals Protect Kuakini's Patients
Patient safety is one of the primary areas that Kuakini's Health Care Team members focus on while providing care to patients and residents. In 2002, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations released its first set of National Patient Safety Goals to promote patient safety in healthcare organizations. Each year, Kuakini reviews policies and procedures to ensure that all staff are in compliance with existing and new safety goals.

Naming Opportunities for New Kuakini Research Building
If you are interested in having your name or the name of a loved one associated with the discoveries that will be made at Kuakini’s new Research Building, there are many naming opportunities at different levels of giving. The new Research Building will consolidate the various Kuakini-sponsored research projects under one roof and will include a modern and secure archival storage facility. For more information, please call Kuakini Foundation at 547-9296.

Mahalo to our Donors
Throughout Kuakini's 109-year history, there have been many generous donors whose support has been a major source of financing for construction, renovation and high-tech equipment purchases. Kuakini expresses its appreciation to the following individuals and organizations for gifts and pledges of $10,000 or more during 2009:

Anonymous Donors (3)
Kuakini Auxiliary
Masaji and Shigeko Marumoto Fund
Mr. George K.T. Ma
Mr. Ernest Urata