The Maui News

Maui County last year was short 153 physicians, up from 141 in 2018, according to the final Hawaii Physician Workforce Assessment Project Report for 2019 conducted by the University of Hawaii at Manoa John A. Burns School of Medicine.

The final report was filed on Dec. 20 with the Hawaii State Legislature.

A preliminary report back in September noted that Maui County was short 166 doctors.

While the final numbers shows the doctor situation on Maui is a bit better than expected, a news release said the final report showed that in 2019, 152 doctors moved away from Hawaii. Back when preliminary results were released in September, it was thought that 39 doctors had left the state.

The statewide physician shortage remains between 519 and 820 doctors based on the average U.S. use of physician services in a population similar to Hawaii’s.

Maui County currently has no colorectal surgeons and also has a need for doctors who specialize in endocrinology as well as hematology and oncology. Neonatal-perinatal doctors are also needed.

Overall, Hawaii island has the largest physician shortage at 230, or 44 percent; followed by Maui County with 153, or 36 percent; then Kauai with 60, or 32 percent, and Oahu with 377, or 16 percent.