The following testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii for consideration by the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services on Feb. 5, 2025.
_____________
Feb. 5, 2025 1 p.m.
Hawaii State Capitol
Conference Room 225 and Videoconference
To: Senate Committee on Health and Human Services
Sen. Joy A. San Buenaventura, Chair
Sen. Henry J.C. Aquino, Vice-Chair
From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns
COMMENTS IN SUPPORT OF SB1279 — RELATING TO PHARMACISTS
Aloha Chair, Vice Chair and other members of the Committee,
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii would like to offer its support for SB1279, which would allow pharmacists serving certain eligible facilities and patients to supervise via telehealth the filling or receipt of prescriptions in certain circumstances.
The expanded use of telehealth that would be enabled by this bill unfortunately would be limited to pharmacists under contract with and helping patients at facilities designated as helping medically underserved communities as defined by federal law. Even with that limitation, however, it would represent an important step forward for telehealth in Hawaii.
Greater use of telehealth involving pharmacists would be an easy, practical way to mitigate the problems related to healthcare access and staffing shortages that have had a significant effect on healthcare in Hawaii. These issues are especially prevalent in rural areas and the underserved communities addressed in this bill.
We hope this bill will be the first of many to expand the use of telehealth in Hawaii.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
Ted Kefalas
Director of Strategic Campaigns
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
