In 2024, Hawaii was short 3,618 practicing physicians, the University of Hawaii System said in its annual report. That’s the conclusion of The Hawaii Physician Workforce Assessment Project facilitated by the Hawaii/Pacific Basin Area Health Education Center, or AHEC, an organization led by Dr. Kelley Withy that aims to recruit and retain physicians statewide.
The report notes, “The greatest statewide shortage remains in primary care, with 152 [full-time equivalents] needed in total across all islands. The greatest subspecialty statewide shortages include pediatric gastroenterology, pediatric and adult endocrinology, pediatric and adult pulmonology, colorectal surgery and thoracic surgery.”
AHEC made strides in 2024 to increase the state’s physician counts. It helped pass a bill exempting private practices from the state General Excise Tax, which will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026, while increasing Medicare reimbursement rates and pay. Another win for the industry was funding 800 individual loan repayments under Gov. Josh Green’s Hawaii Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program, or HELP.
Research was also conducted out of state to see what it would take to bring doctors licensed in Hawaii back to the Islands. Recipients said a pay raise of 110% of current income, Hawaii Tax credit of 50% over three years, quarter-point lower interest rate for home purchase and a four-day work week.
According to Indeed and ZipRecruiter, Kihei is among the highest paying cities in the state for physicians at about $337,755 per year. If Kihei doctors had it their way, they’d be making closer to $371,530.50, and doctors’ annual income on Oahu would jump from $276,172 to $303,788.10.
Another challenge for local physicians and health care professionals is access to housing, especially on the Neighbor Islands. AHEC is working to make homeownership “with a manageable mortgage” available via resources such as MODEA through Hawaii Finance and Development Corp., Maui Medical housing, CMG Home Loans and landed.com.
AHEC is also encouraging physician-to-physician recruitment at Mainland conferences by offering a $50 stipend “if a Hawaii physician takes another doctor out to dinner to recruit them to Hawaii,” the report states. Alongside others in the industry like Healthcare Association of Hawaii, AHEC aims to recruit high school students into health care careers soon after they graduate by providing the necessary training certifications.
To view the report in full, click here.
Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros can be reached at kelsey@alohastatedaily.com.
