July/August 2023
July/August Newsletter
President's Corner
Dear PMAH members and friends,
Overnight, the Maui landscape has been razed and changed forever. The Lahaina we knew, from the storefronts to the banyan tree is now mere ash and memories. These brushfires are the largest and most costly disaster that our islands have experienced, eclipsing the losses that were caused by hurricane Iniki in 1992.
Many of us have deep roots in Maui and/or have family and friends currently living through the devastation. The first of my relatives to immigrate from the Philippines settled on Maui, and later petitioned so others could immigrate to Hawaii. I reached out to my Maui contacts and Maui Disaster Response and Recovery to offer our organization’s assistance in the areas of medical relief, outreach and rebuilding. Coordinators will pair us with various organizations based on need. Additionally, the PMAH Board of Governors will be meeting soon to create our action plan.
If you’d like to volunteer with PMAH, please fill out this google form. We will prepare a list for when we are called to serve: MAUI RELIEF VOLUNTEER FORM. Big salamat to President-Elect Dr. Rainier Bautista for creating this tracker and spearheading our efforts, along with our Executive Director, Dr. Rhea Bautista.
For those of you who wish to donate monetarily, the following links were provided by PMAH member and interim JABSOM Dean Dr. Lee Buenconsejo-Lum and board member Dr. Melissa Natavio:
The Salvation Army: www.hawaii.salvationarmy.org
Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund: www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strong
UH Foundation - Maui Students: www.uhfoundation.org/give/giving-opportunity/help-maui-students
Lastly, please take a moment to send out a personal prayer or positive thought for the residents of Maui who have lost homes, businesses and loved ones, and for Maui’s first responders and frontline workers.
Together, we can make a difference.
Aloha and salamat!
Lyla Cachola Prather, MD
President, Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii 22’-23’
Upcoming Events
Labor Day Weekend CME: Diabetes Symposium
Kahala Resort
September 3, 2023
2023 Komen Hawaii MORE THAN PINK Walk
TEAM: Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii
October 8, 2023
Inauguration Gala 2024
Royal Hawaiian
January 27, 2024
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/
COVID Vaccine Information
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/children-teens.html
https://hawaiicovid19.com/vaccine-faqs/
COVID Vaccine Access
https://www.filcomcares.org/events
https://www.oneoahu.org/find-vaccine
https://www.hawaiipacifichealth.org/hph-covid-19-updates/vaccine-update/
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
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
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!
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
May/June 2023
May/June Newsletter
President's Corner
In addition to Mother’s Day food and libations, end of school celebrations, and back to back graduations, May was full of prep for the annual Memorial Weekend CME and the amazing Gatsby Gala afterwards – so this newsletter is coming to you as a special May/June edition!
Memorial weekend CME & Gatsby Gala were the culmination of months of hard work by the CME team. Big Mahalo to Dr’s Kahea Rivera, Melissa Natavio, Noelani Hobbs, Marel Ver and Rhea Bautista (plus me too!) for putting on yet another inspirational, educational, and recreational weekend for PMAH members and friends. Looking forward to having many of you join us again next Memorial Weekend 2024 at the Four Seasons Ko’Olina. If you’d like to join us to help plan, produce, and fundraise for this event, pleased do! Email us at PMAHinfo@gmail.com and let us know you’d like to be part of the team.
Some of this year’s CME topics spoke to the themes of May as Mental Health Awareness Month, and June as Pride, Alzheimer’s and Brain Health Awareness Month, most notably those on sex education and identity awareness in children and young adults, ADHD across the lifespan, and brain mapping and therapy with trans-magnetic stimulation for many conditions including depression, anxiety, long-covid brain fog, dementia, and traumatic brain injury/concussions. It is exciting to see medicine continue to evolve as new therapies for conditions like these continue to develop and offer patients new treatment options in addition to traditional therapies. In addition, it is heartening to see society move to becoming more inclusive and more willing to adopt, accept and integrate people’s chosen identities. In our island cultures, there has always existed a third gender, mahu in Hawaii or bakla in the Philippines. This inclusiveness and awareness helps foster and support the mental health of the community as a whole, in a time where it is so important to be more accepting of our differences. It is our ability to do this that ultimately makes us stronger as a society.
Wishing you all an amazing summer, and looking forward to our 3rd Annual Labor Day Weekend Mini-CME, a Diabetes Symposium, at the Kahala on September 3rd!
Aloha and salamat!
Lyla Cachola Prather, MD
President, Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii
Photos from Memorial Weekend CME at the Four Seasons Resort (May 27-28, 2023)
Upcoming Events
Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls Community Health Fair
Aupuni Center, 101 Pauahi St, Suite 7, Hilo, HI
June 18, 2023 - 8am to 3pm
2023 Hawaii Heart Walk (American Heart Association)
TEAM: Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii
August 5, 2023
Labor Day Weekend CME: Diabetes Symposium
Kahala Resort
September 3, 2023
2023 Komen Hawaii MORE THAN PINK Walk
TEAM: Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii
October 8, 2023
Inauguration Gala 2024
Royal Hawaiian
January 27, 2024
Updates
Spring into Health (May 20, 2023)
The Philippine Premedical Association of Hawaii (PPMAH) and Philippine Medical Student Association of Hawaii (PMSAH) held their end of the year event on 4/30/23. As part of the PMAH Foundation, Filipino premeds, medical students, residents and physicians brought together to foster mentoring, promote networking and to create a sense of community.
Ed Yap from Castle Adventist Health donating medical supplies for the next Ohana Medical Missions
Right to Left: JP Orias (OMM), Rhea Bautista (PMAH), Ria Yap (Castle Adventist Health), Ed Yap (Castle Adventist Health)
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/
COVID Vaccine Information
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/children-teens.html
https://hawaiicovid19.com/vaccine-faqs/
COVID Vaccine Access
https://www.filcomcares.org/events
https://www.oneoahu.org/find-vaccine
https://www.hawaiipacifichealth.org/hph-covid-19-updates/vaccine-update/
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
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
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!
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
April 2023
April Newsletter featuring Dr J Gary Dela Cruz and Autism Awareness Month
President's Corner
Aloha PMAH members!
First a plug for the Memorial Weekend CME! Rooms are limited and the deadline to book them is this Friday, May 5th. Please go to our website at PMAH-hawaii.org to register for the CME and receive our booking code via email once your registration is complete. Contact our Executive Director, Dr. Rhea Bautista, if you have any questions.
Me and my #1 son, Joey
Now on to the topic at hand! -- April is Autism Awareness Month. Thank you to Dr. Gary Dela Cruz for your writeup on autism from a pediatrician’s standpoint. As a mother to a child on the autistic spectrum, I remember what it was like being on the other side of the curtain when we received our child’s diagnosis. I went through all the stages of grief, from disbelief, to bargaining, to anger -- all of it, and it was overwhelming as a young, first-time mom. There were so many unknowns ahead of us, as well as guilt of what I could have possibly done to cause or avoid this during pregnancy and early childhood. As a mother, there is so much self-blame that it becomes the albatross around your neck, constantly weighing you down. I can’t really describe the overwhelmingly intense hurt and pain in my heart seeing my child try to make friends and getting rejected or made fun of, and more often than not, left out. There were days that were soul-crushing, where I would cry myself to sleep under a mountain of sadness for my sweet, tenacious, smart, dependable, kind-hearted child. There was also a determination to find answers and programs to help us navigate our way through childhood and adolescence to find the gifts and uniqueness and joy involved in raising a neurodivergent child. One of his gifts was not realizing that he was actually that different from everyone else. This led him to fearlessly try new things, and never feeling limited by the fear that I as his mother had for him. This fearlessness led to becoming an honor roll student, being voted onto the homecoming court, playing on a state championship football team complete with championship ring as his reward, being voted Prom King, and always being able to see the good things in life, people and situations, that I as a mom couldn’t always see. He sees the world as limitless, in a way that teaches me and others to do the same. My wish is that others would be able to see those on the spectrum or those with other forms of neurodivergence as limitless as well. After all, we are actually more alike than different from one another in the end.
See you at the CME!
Lyla Cachola Prather, MD
President, Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii
Understanding Autism
Most infants and young children love to be held and cuddled. This helps them form close bonds with their parents and other caregivers. But children with autism may resist being touched. And they may often seem remote and withdrawn. Some may never learn to talk. There is no cure for autism. But many children with the disorder can be helped with intensive treatment.
What is autism?
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a range of disorders in which a child's brain does not develop normally. Autism or autistic disorder is the most severe form of ASD. Symptoms often appear before age 3 and stay throughout the child’s lifetime. These symptoms can vary widely and may be mild or severe. Most people with autism have trouble talking and relating to others. They often are in a world of their own. Some children with the disorder may not respond to smiles or eye contact. They also may repeat certain actions over and over. They may follow rigid routines or be obsessed with parts of objects. A few may even try to harm themselves or others.
Who does it affect?
Boys are 4 times more likely to have autism than girls. Autism crosses all ethnic, economic, and social lines. Any child can develop this disorder.
What causes it?
Parents of children with autism often blame themselves. But autism is no one's fault. Certain genes may affect the way your child's brain develops. Other factors, such as viruses or chemicals, may also play a role.
What can help?
Early assessment and intervention are crucial for children with autism because children learn best when they are very young. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a formal autism screening for all children at the 18 and 24-month well child visits. This screen is in addition to regular developmental checks. This helps identify children with behavioral and developmental challenges as early as possible. With early intervention, special therapists can help your child learn social and language skills. School programs can be tailored to your child's needs. As your child gets older, many caring professionals can help. Talking to your healthcare provider is a good place to start.
Signs of autism
Each person with autism is unique. Some children with autism may:
Be slow in learning to talk or not learn to talk at all
Want to be alone rather than with others
Not share and play the way other children do
Be sensitive to sounds, touch, smells, or tastes
Throw tantrums or try to harm themselves or others
Autism Services
Hawaii has various resources to help children and their families, such as:
Autism Society of Hawaii https://www.autismsocietyhi.org/
Hawaii Autism Foundation https://www.hawaiiautismfoundation.org/
Malama Pono Autism Center https://www.malamaponoautism.com/
Imua Autism Services https://imuafamily.org/imua-autism-services/
Easter Seals Hawaii https://www.eastersealshawaii.org/autism-services/
Dr. J. Gary Dela Cruz, Pediatrician
Honolulu, Hawaii
Upcoming Events
Filipino Fiesta
The Filipino Community Center, Waipahu
May 6th
“Spring into Health” Fair
The Filipino Community Center, Waipahu
May 20th - 10 to 2PM
Interested in participating as an exhibitor or sponsor? Please email RheaPMAH808@gmail.com for assistance.
Memorial Weekend CME - Primary Care Updates
Four Seasons Resort at Ko'Olina
May 27-28, 2023
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/
COVID Vaccine Information
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/children-teens.html
https://hawaiicovid19.com/vaccine-faqs/
COVID Vaccine Access
https://www.filcomcares.org/events
https://www.oneoahu.org/find-vaccine
https://www.hawaiipacifichealth.org/hph-covid-19-updates/vaccine-update/
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
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
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!
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