PRINCEVILLE — North Shore residents need urgent care. Fortunately a new facility is opening to provide essential medical services.
Last December, Makana North Shore Urgent Care received a $1.1 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to complete construction and help with operating costs of the clinic.
Construction took nearly a year at an estimated cost of $4.4 million. The 4,400-square-foot clinic is equipped with the latest diagnostic tools including a digital X-ray suite and laboratory. A combination of board-certified emergency physicians, acute-care nurse practitioners and physician assistants, registered nurses, lab and X-ray technicians make comprehensive urgent medical care available.
“As a nonprofit, the staff and board of directors are looking forward to being a partner, working together to take care of each other and our community,” said Makaala Kaaumoana, member of the Makana North Shore Urgent Care board of directors.
The center was founded by Dr. Ted Kimball and a group of emergency-room doctors from Utah. The center will be open 24 hours, seven days a week to serve all people with non-life-
threatening injuries who commonly end up in the emergency room. The facility will refer patients to local practitioners for general services, as well as offer the doctors use of the center’s state-of-the-art X-ray, ultrasound and diagnostic facilities.
“This project will provide 24/7 urgent medical care, including X-ray and lab facilities to a rural and remote population on Kauai,” Kimball said. “This care will be delivered by a team of experienced, board-certified emergency physicians, nurse practitioners and nurses.”
Kimball, an emergency medicine and critical-care physician, has been working with the local community the past four years to gather resources and create a clinical practice paradigm for delivering sustainable urgent care. He has recruited 15 board-certified emergency physicians and 14 physician assistant/nurse practitioners who have committed to practice along with him at the new facility.
“We support the dedicated primary care providers on the North Shore,” Kimball said. “Our laboratory and X-ray will be available to local primary-care providers, saving patients time and travel.”
To provide around-the-clock availability, the second floor of the clinic contains housing for medical staff. The new center is located behind the Princeville fire and police stations.
Makana North Shore Urgent Care is having its grand opening fundraiser luau at 6 p.m. today. Suggested donation for the luau is $150 per plate.
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John Steinhorst, reporter, can be reached at 245-0435 or jsteinhorst@thegardenisland.com.
