HONOLULU – UHA Health Insurance is providing $300,000 in funding to The Queen’s Health System to support its Advanced Respiratory and Emerging Infectious Disease Unit at The Queen’s Medical Center’s Punchbowl campus.
The money will go toward dedicated patient care units that are setting the standard in airborne and infectious disease control and treatment. The units feature negative pressure technologies, double filter entrance and exit ways, and increased sanitization and decontamination areas for physicians and staff. Work on the units was completed earlier this month and patients are occupying the new units.
“As a physician-founded company, support of the larger local medical community is part of our DNA,” explains Howard Lee, UHA Health Insurance president and chief executive officer. “We believe that a dedicated infectious disease wing at Queen’s is critical now as we face the COVID-19 pandemic, but also prepares our community for the future. This much-needed, specialized unit will provide patients with better care and outcomes, while protecting physicians and health care staff.”
In addition, UHA Health Insurance greatly appreciates the work that Queen’s does as an organization, especially for its medical professionals who are frontline heroes in the fight against COVID and other infectious diseases.
“When this global pandemic first reached our shores, Queen’s provided rapid crisis response,” said Jill Hoggard Green, President and CEO of The Queen’s Health System. “We are prepared to assume a pivotal leadership role as we address the new normal – living, working and caring for patients in the COVID-19 environment. We are deeply grateful to UHA for supporting this project, which will allow us to treat patients with the virus in a safe setting for both our patients and caregivers.”
