Q3 2023 Health Care Outlook feat. Pali Momi Medical Center

Q&A with Dave Underriner
Executive Vice President of O‘ahu Operations,
Chief Executive Officer of Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children, Pali Momi Medical Center and Straub Medical Center

How have your most important projects and plans for 2023 progressed to this point?

One of our biggest projects this year is the enhancement of one cardiac catheterization laboratories. Pali Momi has the only catheterization laboratories in Central and West O‘ahu, which allow our cardiologists to perform minimally invasive valve replacements and repairs, fix artery problems and repair congenital heart defects. These lifesaving procedures are especially important as heart disease is the leading cause of death in Hawai‘i. We also recently welcomed cardiac electrophysiologist Dr. Hiroshi Ashikaga to our experienced cardiac team. Dr. Ashikaga is one of the first in Hawai‘i to use ethanol infusions to chemically treat complex heart rhythm disorders.

How have your most exciting product or service projects progressed to date?

Pali Momi built the first integrated cancer center of its kind in Central and West O‘ahu to provide the best comprehensive care in one place, close to home. Six years later, we continue to expand with the newest technologies. Surgical oncologist Dr. Victor Phuoc is one of the first in Hawai‘i to perform hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) — a procedure that used to require Hawai‘i patients travel to the mainland. Dr. Phuoc removes abdominal tumors and applies highly concentrated chemotherapy directly to cancerous cells in a single procedure. HIPEC is more effective and less toxic than traditional treatments, and usually results in fewer side effects. For women, gynecologic oncologist Dr. Paula Lee has introduced sentinel lymph node mapping for vulvar cancer using the nuclear medicine technique.

What was the most important trend or change impacting your industry in 2023 and how has it evolved since January?

Pali Momi Medical Center was founded by Dr. Joseph Nishimoto to provide convenient, high-quality health care for the growing neighboring communities. Thirty-four years later, our focus remains the same but the way our patients seek care has changed. Many are looking for help whenever they need it from their home. So, we continue to enhance virtual care through MyChart, which allows patients to message care teams, receive face-to-face care wherever they are, request prescription refills and make appointments any time.

98-1079 Moanalua Rd., Aiea, HI 96701
palimomi.org