Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, which is slated to take over operations of Maui Memorial Medical Center on July 1, has begun helping to fill staff shortages in the transition by appointing an orthopedic surgeon and a new interim director of trauma surgery, Kaiser and hospital officials said.

Kaiser Permanente physician Dr. Andrew Tan has been named Maui Memorial interim director of trauma surgery, said Laura Lott, Kaiser spokeswoman, on Tuesday.

“If he hadn’t filled that role, there is a real chance that MMMC would not have retained their trauma center designation,” said Lott.

Maui Memorial is the island’s only trauma center, which was recently recertified as a Level III Trauma Center by the state Department of Health. The trauma center provides 24-hour coverage by emergency medical physicians. The other appointment involves orthopedic surgeon Warren “Vic” Ayers. The Navy veteran and board-certified orthopedic surgeon has been contracted by the hospital’s trauma and orthopedic departments, said a news release Monday from the Hawaii Health Services Corp., the quasi-public entity that currently runs public hospitals on the Neighbor Islands and rural Oahu.

Ayers earned his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine and completed his orthopedic residency at U.S. Naval Hospital in San Diego. His resume includes a 30-year career in the Navy, serving as flight surgeon, senior medical officer and diving medical officer. He also was emergency room physician and resident orthopedist at U.S. Naval Hospital in Okinawa.

Ayers came to Hawaii from Modesto, Calif., where he served as assistant chief of orthopedics in Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California Region, the news release said.

The addition of Ayers “provides invaluable coverage in the emergency department,” said Dr. Ron Boyd, chief medical officer at Maui Memorial. “His considerable experience in orthopedic surgery will be essential to supporting traumatic orthopedic injuries for all of our residents and visitors.”

Maui Memorial initially was to transfer operations to the private Kaiser on July 1 this year, but a union court challenge and uncertainty over legislation aimed at protecting public worker benefits as they transfer to the private entity forced the change back a year.

The uncertainty has created morale and staffing issues at Maui Memorial and the other two hospitals in the HHSC Maui Region, Kula and Lanai Community hospitals. HHSC Maui Region officials initially mulled service reductions, which would have meant more trips to Oahu for Maui patients, during the transition but have since offered a plan to hire doctors, nurses and other staff. The $5.65 million plan requires funding from the state Legislature and the governor’s approval next session.

Mary Ann Barnes, president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals Hawaii Region, said in the HHSC news release that Kaiser Permanente has increased support in other areas of patient care at Maui Memorial.

“We understand that transfer delays have been frustrating for the Maui community, and our medical group partners are doing everything they can to support the delivery of high-quality health care on island,” said Barnes. “Our commitment to the people of Maui and Lanai remains unwavering.”

Lott explained that Ayers will work for the Pacific Permanente Medical Group, the Maui subsidiary of Kaiser’s Hawaii Permanente Medical Group, the physician group that cares for Kaiser members throughout Hawaii.

Maui Memorial contracted with Pacific Permanente to provide physician services for orthopedic surgery, explained Karey Kapoi, Maui Memorial spokeswoman, on Tuesday. Pacific Permanente actually employs Ayers and pays his salary with Maui Memorial’s contract with Pacific Permanente covering that cost-plus benefits.

When Kaiser takes over in July, Ayers will continue to work at Maui Memorial and remain employed by Pacific Permanente, Kapoi said.

The Ayers hiring could be a template for further staff growth through the transition period, said Kapoi.

“We continue to explore opportunities to partner with Kaiser Foundation hospitals to address staff shortages,” she said.

Lott said that Kaiser has “a lot of people working behind the scenes recruiting providers.”

“Because Kaiser Permanente has a reputation for being a good place to work and Hawaii Permanente Medical Group is the state’s largest multispecialty medical group, candidates have the support and stability they need to be successful,” Lott said. “Anecdotally, we hear that having colleagues to consult with and cover call is very attractive to an incoming physician.”

Through his office in Maui Memorial’s Outpatient Clinic, Ayers will serve patients from all insurance carriers as well as new patients, the HHSC news release said. Lott explained that because Maui Memorial accepts all insurance — and will continue to do so after Kaiser takes over — all physicians who work at the facility treat all patients.

Lott noted that Kaiser Permanente currently has physicians, such as pediatric hospitalists, who work for Maui Memorial and see all patients.

* Lee Imada can be reached at leeimada@mauinews.com.