News

Wailuku, Maui, HI (August 31, 2021) – As of this morning, Maui Memorial Medical Center (MMMC) is caring for 26 COVID-19 positive patients with six in intensive care and one on a ventilator. This is a reduction in COVID-19 hospitalized patients from last week, but the surge continues throughout the state. Maui County had 467 new cases from Monday through Friday of last week alone. Research has shown that about 10% of positive cases will likely need hospitalization within 10-14 days of virus onset. That could covert to 46 additional hospitalizations within the next two weeks. There is concern that with the upcoming holiday weekend, the cases will continue to surge, and hospitalizations will continue to rise.

The MMMC vaccine clinic has experienced an increase in vaccine administration, with 476 doses administered last week – and nearly 200 of those were for the third dose currently being administered to immunocompromised individuals. MMMC’s vaccine clinic hours are Mondays/Fridays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome. For more information, please visit www.mauihealth.org/covidvaccine.

Outpatient elective procedures and surgeries continue at MMMC, with daily monitoring to ensure resources are available for inpatient and outpatient needs. Please note – MMMC outpatient elective procedures and surgeries are not being postponed at this time.

Resource management, which includes PPE, staffing, and medical supplies continues to be a priority at Maui Health. There is a statewide concern regarding the supply of medical oxygen for patient care use. Oxygen consumption has increased nationwide due to the surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations. As example, MMMC is currently using about three times more oxygen than normal, which is directly related to the rise in hospitalized COVID-19 patients - 109% increase from July to August.

Our medical oxygen supply is delivered every week from Airgas on Oahu with assurances our current oxygen consumption will be maintained. In addition, Kaiser Permanente is sending an on-site Oxygen Generator to MMMC, with shipment expected later this week. The on-site Oxygen Generator will be another medical oxygen source to supplement our current supply. “We are doing everything we can to mitigate any possible future oxygen shortage and are grateful to Kaiser Permanente for helping with this effort,” said Mike Rembis, Maui Health CEO. In addition, clinical leadership is addressing methods to improve oxygen use efficiencies based on the appropriate standards of care.

Maui Health is positioned well to maintain current medical oxygen supplies, while also utilizing a new on-site medical oxygen system that will further augment any potential increased need.

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About Maui Health

Maui Health, aka Maui Health System, community hospitals and associated clinics affiliated with Kaiser Permanente, includes Maui Memorial Medical Center, Kula Hospital, Lanai Community Hospital and associated clinics, and serves the people of Maui and Lanai. The facilities under Maui Health employ more than 1500 Maui County residents, partner with over 460 hospital-based physicians, clinicians, and community-based primary and specialty physicians, and are open to all patients regardless of health insurance coverage. Maui Health is committed to delivering high quality, affordable, patient-centered health care and improving the health of the community. Maui Health is supported by Kaiser Permanente’s industry-leading technology systems, evidence-based medicine and nationally recognized care quality. For more information, visit mauihealth.org.