KEALAKEKUA, HAWAI‘I – West Hawaii Region of Hawaii Health Systems Corporation (HHSC) held a blessing ceremony Friday, Feb. 6 to celebrate its newly expanded Infusion Center at Kona Community Hospital. The new center doubles the treatment capacity and strengthens access to infusion and oncology services for West Hawai‘i Residents. It is designed to improve patient comfort, privacy, and continuity of care while allowing more treatments to be delivered locally, and close to home. “We are grateful for the community partnerships and the Legislature’s support behind this expansion,” said McGhan. “The transformation of this space reflects our commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care, that we continue to provide for every patient, every day.”
The expanded Infusion Center is in response to the growing demand for infusion and oncology services in West Hawai‘i and reflects the region’s commitment to expanding access to care while enhancing the patient experience. The center doubles the treatment capacity from six to 12 infusion chairs and enhances patient comfort with privacy barriers between areas.
The facility includes a negative-pressure isolation room designed to accommodate higher risk patients and procedures previously performed in the surgical suite due to space constraints. By relocating these services to the Infusion Center, Kona Community Hospital is improving its convenience and continuity of care for patients. The center also features a dedicated waiting area for families, along with ADA-compliant restrooms, creating a more accessible, supportive, patient-centered environment.
“The expanded Infusion Center is a meaningful investment in West Hawaiʻi’s health care infrastructure,” said Senator Dru Kanuha. “By increasing capacity and improving access to critical outpatient services, this project helps ensure our residents can receive high-quality care in their own community. I’m proud of the Legislature’s support for this effort and grateful to the health care teams who serve our community every day.”
During the blessing remarks were provided by Clayton McGhan, CEO of West Hawaii Region of HHSC, Representative Kirstin Kahaloa, and Hawai‘i County Mayor Kimo Alameda, who reflected on the transformation of the space and its significance for the community. Remarks were also provided by Joshua Stolaroff, grandson of Milton and Ursula Stolaro, whose foundation had donated a sizeable amount toward the project.