President's Corner

Dear PMAH Family,

As my term as president comes to a close, I would like to first off thank my family for their support, patience and love while I have been busy with so many of my duties over the last few years. Above all things, you are everything to me, Shane, Joey, Aiden and Ayla. You are and always will be my why. I love you.

It has been such a pleasure and honor to serve as PMAH President over the last two years. Our organization is so full of talent, passion, experience, caring, and commitment. It is impossible not to be inspired by each and every one of you. From the greenest premed student, to the most veteran attending physician, you have all made such an impact on me personally and as a physician. PMAH is so very special, and I hope you all get to experience it not just as a professional organization, but as the family it truly is and was created to be so many years ago at inception.

As a child, I grew up in PMAH, surrounded by all my aunties and uncles who were the founders of this organization. It is a testament to our Filipino culture that through all these many years, the core of this organization has remained one of family. One I am truly so very proud to belong to. Thank you again for the opportunity to serve.

Speaking of service, I would like to extend a sincere thank you to the hard working and dedicated PMAH Board of Governors. There is no group I would have rather have stood in the trenches of a pandemic with than you. Together, we rallied, shored things up, and created a stronger foundation to ensure that PMAH would survive even the most daunting of times. You are warriors, and I am proud to have stood with and beside you for near the last decade. Thank you for your service to our organization.

Finally, I would like to extend a heartfelt congratulations to our next president, Dr. Rainier Bautista. I am looking forward to cheering you on as you take the reigns. Thank goodness. I’m tired, LOL!

With humble thanks,

Lyla Cachola Prather, MD

PMAH President, 2022/2023

Past Events

Ola Pono Ike Gala, Hilton Hawaiian Village

October 14, 2023

“Since 1856, the Hawaii Medical Association has supported and celebrated the incredible work of Hawaii’s physicians in our community. For over two decades we have held the annual Ola Pono Ike Gala, a way for physicians to honor their community and raise money for worthy causes.

This year’s Ola Pono Ike Gala Dinner is scheduled for Saturday, October 14, 2023 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. It's a night when we celebrate the medical profession, and we take a moment to honor colleagues for their exceptional work. This year, we recognize two stalwarts in our community:

Dr. S. Kalani Brady, recipient of the HMA Physician of the Year Award;
Dr. Jerris Hedges, recipient of the HMA President's Award.

For the first time, we are also honoring a non-physician at Ola Pono Ike. We will present Representative Mark Nakashima with the inaugural Manawale'a Award, which is given to a non-HMA member for outstanding community service.”

Bayanihan Gala, Hilton Hawaiian Village

October 14, 2023

“For 21 years The Filipino Community Center (FilCom) has celebrated extraordinary individuals or groups for their selfless work in the community at our annual Bayanihan Gala. This year we honor Abelina Shaw, Avalon Development, The Mariano-Soquena Foundation, and FilCom CARES for their dedication, leadership, and acts of service in our community.

The Bayanihan Gala highlights the efforts of these individuals and groups while also fulfilling our mission to preserve and perpetuate Filipino customs and culture. This year we will share the fruits of our labor with performances by participants of our programs and partners.

We encourage you to support our honorees and FilCom Center at this year's Bayanihan Gala. Your support will give us the chance to envision a positive future with a great approach to our mission.

If you cannot be a sponsor, we hope you’ll consider showing your aloha to FilCom by making a donation by mailing us a check payable to the “Filipino Community Center” to: 94-428 Mokuola Street, Suite 302, Waipahu, HI 96797. For more sponsorship information, e-mail Shelly C. at events@filcom.org.”

Upcoming Events

Memorial Weekend (5/25/24 - 5/26/24)

Labor Day Weekend (8/31/24 - 9/1/24)

Inauguration Gala 2024 (Tickets on sale NOW!)

Royal Hawaiian

January 27, 2024

Join us at the Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii's 44th inauguration Gala, themed 'Kasaysayan at Kinabukasan.' We'll celebrate our collective achievements in healthcare and honor the heroes among us. Be a part of this special night that promises to blend legacy with a vision for the future.

Updates

1. On the MONEY front, local legislative bills SB397/HB1367, to raise Medicaid/QUEST pay, and SB1035/HB662, bills to eliminate the GET on healthcare, are moving through the Hawaii Legislature. Also progressing are the loan repayment (SB164/HB661) and Preceptor Tax Credit (for specialists as well as PCPs SB1215/HB82) bills. If you want to voice your opinion, itʻs easy to do: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/

2. Help us raise Hawaii's Medicare rates! -- We are working with our Federal Legislators to try to get Medicare rates raised. To do this, we need to assess the cost of having a practice in Hawaii. If you own or run a practice, please complete our brief anonymous survey about costs of practicing in Hawaii: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/37RLWDV

Join the PMAH Legislative Committee!

Do you want to know more about what bills are being introduced that potentially affect healthcare in Hawaii?
Are you passionate about advocacy and effecting change in Hawaii's healthcare landscape?

Email PMAHinfo@gmail.com and let us know you're interested, and will pass it along to committee chair, Dr. Jerald Garcia.

Physician Opportunities

Are you a specialist who is willing to provide telehealth to rural areas of Hawaii? Email kelleywithy@gmail.com for more information.

Do you want to advertise an open position? Do you want to find a job in Hawaii? Do you want to meet a resident who may be interested in joining your practice? Email Your Hawaii Physician Recruiter: Thomas Hao hao4@hawaii.edu

For HMSA formularies, save this link (https://hmsa.com/help-center/your-hmsa-drug-formulary-list/). You can just put the three digit drug code from the patient's HMSA card (DRUG: xxx) and it will tell you which formulary to look at: https://hmsa.com/help-center/your-hmsa-drug-formulary-list/

The Hawai‘i/Pacific Basin Area Health Education Center is pleased to announce the Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program (HELP), funded by the Hawai‘i State Legislature. HELP provides qualified educational loan debt repayment to health professionals licensed, or otherwise certified, to practice in and provide care to patients in Hawai‘i. The Internal Revenue Service defines Qualified Educational Loans under 26 USC 221(d)(1). The State expects HELP to help improve the number of providers in medically underserved areas of Hawai‘i, as well as improve the recruitment and retention of healthcare workers caring for the people of Hawai‘i by lessening the burden of large educational debt.

COVID Vaccine Information

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/children-teens.html

https://hawaiicovid19.com/vaccine-faqs/

https://www.filcomcares.org/

COVID Vaccine Access

https://www.filcomcares.org/events

https://www.oneoahu.org/find-vaccine

https://www.hawaiipacifichealth.org/hph-covid-19-updates/vaccine-update/

https://covid.queens.org/vaccine-clinics/

PMAH is a proud partner of the FilCom CARES project to provide COVID-19 resources our Filipino Communities.

To subscribe to the FilCom CARES newsletter, click HERE

Follow FilCom CARES on Facebook and Instagram for updates

If you are interested in connecting with Filipinx/a/o pre-medical and medical students, residents, and physicians from across the U.S., we invite you to attend CYFAM’s 4th Annual Conference, “Pamana sa Kinabukasan: The Filipinx Legacy as Seeds of the Future,” from February 17th-18th, 2024 in Los Angeles, California!

The Council of Young Filipinx Americans in Medicine (CYFAM) is a national network of Filipinx/a/o physicians and students who seek to promote leadership development, reinforce the educational pipeline, and address structural inequities in health through advocacy, scholarship, and community partnerships.

Annually, CYFAM hosts a national conference to create space for learning, connecting, and celebrating the work of Filipinx/a/o physicians, medical trainees, and community members. We are thrilled to announce that our keynote speaker is former White House Physician to the President, Dr. Connie Mariano.

JOIN US IN LOS ANGELES: Please register for the conference at tinyurl.com/cyfampamana! Conference updates will also be accessible on our website (cyfam.org). 20% off flash sale for tickets from Friday, January 12th through Sunday, January 14th at 11:59 PM PST.

FREE ZOOM PRE-CONFERENCE EVENTS: We will host free Zoom sessions leading up to the conference for folks unable to join us in person and anyone who may be interested.

Saturday, February 3rd 1-2 PM PST: "Beyond ‘Bahala Na’: Unlearning Cultural Scripts to Promote Well-Being as Medical Professionals” by Stacey Diane Arañez Litam, PhD, LPCCs, NCC, CCMHC

Register here.

Saturday, February 10th 1-2 PM PST: Para Sa Kinabukasan Ng Ating Mga Anak (For Our Children’s Future) led by Joyce Rivera Javier, MD, MPH, MS, FAAP

Register here.

Interested in becoming a member?

Benefits of PMAH Membership

As a member of the PMAH you will be able to:

1. Engage Filipino healthcare leaders in advancing the health and well-being of communities in Hawaii and abroad.

2. Be allowed to participate in a number of unparalleled networking opportunities to connect with your peers, mentors, and other medical leaders in Hawaii.

3. Attend conventions, seminars, dinners and other related events with like-minded professionals in the field

4. Keep up with the newest developments through our CME Courses and other educational opportunities

5. Become involved with Ohana Medical Missions, providing healthcare and health education to indigent patients in the Philippines, Hawaii, and other countries

Learn more

Want to be more involved in PMAH?

We welcome and encourage PMAH membership engagement!!
If you have a special interest, please ask us!
We also are always looking for potential new board members.
New ideas, suggestions, concerns, and comments welcome!
Please reach out to us!

Email us

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT

DONATE to PMAH and our Affiliates

Due to the pandemic, our usual conferences and other fundraising events for the year were cancelled/postponed/adjusted. Therefore at this time, we rely on donations to fund our projects and operational costs.

Your donations are greatly appreciated !
https://pmah-hawaii.org/take-action

All affiliates are non-profit charitable organizations 501(c)(3).
*When making a donation, please specify in comments preferred use ie general fund, mentorship, etc.

CONTACT US

We'd love to learn about announcements / education / opportunities / events
Please email pmahinfo@gmail.com

November/December 2023