Waimanalo Health Center

Overview

Waimānalo Health Center (WHC) started as a state Maternal, Infant & Child program in Waimānalo and, by 1992, evolved to incorporate as a private, non-profit Community Health Center. WHC serves the significant number of low-income Native Hawaiians in Waimānalo and the population in need residing elsewhere in windward O‘ahu. Waimānalo is a rural location with high health and socio-economic risks.

Services

Waimānalo Health Center provides family medicine for all life cycles in culturally-sensitive and appropriate manner: prenatal care, pediatric and well baby care, family planning, immunizations, STD testing and counseling, cholesterol and diabetes screening, case management, and community outreach. In addition, WHC offers counseling and referrals for substance abuse, parenting, mental health, spouse and child abuse, strengthening family relationships, cultural health, and education programs. Waimānalo Health Center specializes in integrating Native Hawaiian cultural healing values and practices mixed with western medical practices.

Special Populations/Health Issues

Native Hawaiians.  The concerns of Waimānalo Health Center mirror those for all Native Hawaiians: hypertension, asthma, diabetes, breast, cervical and prostate cancer, substance abuse, poor nutrition, and poor dental health.

Patient profile for 2006 

• Ethnic groups served:  Native Hawaiian (45%), Caucasian (14%), Asian (10%). Pacific Islander (10%)
• Unduplicated Patients: 3,240
• Patient Visits: 16,643
  • 19 years of age and under: 42%
  • 65 years of age or older: 5%
• Female: 61%
• Uninsured: 27%
• Medicaid: 46%
• Medicare: 6%
• Patients bebst served in a language other than English: <1%
• Patients with an income less than 200% of Federal Poverty Level (FPL) 100%

Staffing

Waimānalo Health Center has on its professional staff physicians in family practice, pediatrics and internal medicine, registered nurses and nurse practitioners, a certified nurse midwife, outreach and social workers, and health educators.

Federal Funding

Waimānalo Health Center is the grantee or subcontractor for:

• 330(e) Grantee
• Administration for Native Americans
• CMS Demonstration Grant
• Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program
• Family Planning
• Substance Abuse Block Grant
• WIC

Federal Designations

• MUP
• Native Hawaiian Health Care Center