Page 4 - MidWeek Kauai - Feb 3, 2021

4 KAUA‘I MIDWEEK FEBRUARY 3, 2021
KAUA‘I MIDWEEK COVER STORY
(From left) Drs. Elizabeth Kim, Hingson Chun, Jared Oyama, John Mickey and Robert Schulz pose on the grounds of Straub Medical Center on King Street.
Since its formation 100 years ago, Straub Medical Center has played a crucial role in creating a healthier Hawai‘i, thanks to world-class care and state-of-the-art technology.
Dr. George Straub founded Straub Medical Center in 1921. PHOTO COURTESY HAWAI‘I PACIFIC HEALTH
Story by
Nicole Monton
Photos by
Lawrence Tabudlo
Straub Medical Center has been quite the hub of medical firsts in the 100 years it’s been in ex- istence. By leading the way in everything from
nuclear medicine and interventional radiology to pe- diatric cardiac ablations and minimally invasive hip and knee joint replacements — not to mention starting the Pacific region’s only multidisciplinary burn treat- ment center — Straub continues to set
Dr. Elizabeth Kim
primary care physician, board certified in family medicine
With a focus on wom- en’s health and preven- tative care, Dr. Elizabeth Kim has been serving pa- tients at Straub Medical Center since 2012. She is the family medicine section chief for Metro O‘ahu, Hawai‘i Pacific Health Medical Group. Kim attended University of Hawai‘i John A. Burns School of Medicine, where she also complet- ed her residency.
the stage for health care advancements across the state.
(Above) Straub Medical Center got its start in 1921. (Left) Ray Vara leads Hawai‘i Pacific Health — which includes Straub Medical Center — as CEO. PHOTOS COURTESY HAWAI‘I PACIFIC HEALTH
This notion of innovation is built
into Straub’s foundation, which started
back in 1921, when Dr. George Straub
decided to create a practice of physicians
across all specialties, who could work
together to better serve patients. Under
the moniker “The Clinic,” the group
eventually decided to expand to include an in-patient facility, which opened in 1973 as Straub Clinic & Hos- pital.
“Each had something to bring to the relation- ship, and each had something to gain from the relationship,” says Ray Vara, CEO of Hawai‘i Pacific Health. “The common element was
Then, in 2001, Straub became part of what is now known as Hawai‘i Pacific Health, which also launched with top-notch hospitals Pali Momi Medical Center, Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children and Wilcox Health as part of the group.
they believed health care needed to be transformed in Hawai‘i, and the strength of those organizations coming together started the process.”
One notable achievement — aside from its stellar advancements in technology — that sets Straub apart from the rest is Hawai‘i Pacific Health’s electronic med- ical records (EMR). From scheduling appointments to
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