The Queen’s Health System today announced that Robin Kalohelani, RN, MSN/Ed, CCM, has been named Vice President of Operations and Associate Chief Nursing Officer at The Queen’s Medical Center – West Oʻahu (QMC West).
Kalohelani will serve as a member of Queen’s Senior Leadership Team and as the Vice President of Operations, she will oversee the daily operations of QMC West. Because West Oʻahu has the largest Native Hawaiian community in the state, a key part of her role will be working with Queen’s Native Hawaiian Health Program and other organizations to bolster innovations and services that improve the health and well-being of Native Hawaiians.
“We are excited to have Robin step into this vital role,” said Jill Hoggard Green, PhD, RN, President and CEO of The Queen’s Health System. “She has demonstrated, during her 16-year tenure at Queen’s, her exceptional leadership and ability to lead countless initiatives to further patient care, patient experience and culturally sensitive care.”
Kalohelani began her career at The Queen’s Medical Center – Punchbowl (QMC) in 2006 as a case manager for community health, the Emergency Department and acute care. In 2013, she became the project leader to transform the former site of Hawai‘i Medical Center West into Queen’s – West O‘ahu. Kalohelani oversaw the $150 million renovation project to establish a modern hospital to serve the residents of Central and West O‘ahu and fill a critical need to support emergency and health care services in the region. Within a year, QMC West opened in ‘Ewa Beach and the hospital’s Emergency Department became Hawai‘i’s second busiest, behind The Queen’s Medical Center.
In 2018, Kalohelani was named the Director of Care Transition and Clinic Services at QMC West, leading daily operations for hospital support services, care transitions and clinic services. Then, in October 2019, she became the interim administrator for Support, Clinic Services and Care Transition, opening a new outpatient services location offering wound care and infusion. QMC West also attained full accreditation by The Joint Commission, the health care industry’s leading safety and quality agency and was awarded an “A” grade for safety by Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit watchdog organization that propels hospital safety toward best practices on behalf of health care consumers. Kalohelani also led the recognition of QMC West by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association for achieving two or more consecutive calendar years of strict adherence to quality measures for heart failure and stroke management and for resuscitation.
Kalohelani has been instrumental in the planning of the expansion of QMC West, which will quadruple the campus footprint over the next 15 years to better serve the health care needs of the region’s residents. She also steered a campus renovation project to provide more specialists, primary care and wellness programs for the people of the region.
Meanwhile, Kalohelani spearheaded the pandemic response of the hospital, maintaining quality and safety standards to best care for COVID-19 patients who needed emergency and inpatient care, while mobilizing community vaccination sites to reach members of the community, especially those in vulnerable situations.
“We’re embarking on a bold 10-year strategic plan to improve access to high-quality care where, when and how consumers desire to receive it,” said Dr. Hoggard Green. “Robin’s experience, vision and passion for the community will, no doubt, help us achieve our goals.”
