Kahuku Medical Center, a nonprofit affiliate of the Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corp., will use a $6 million grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to continue providing essential services for the North Shore and Ko‘olauloa communities on Oʻahu.
A joint announcement Tuesday said that the grant will help “expand the hospital’s emergency department and upgrade its electronic health record system.” The grant will also fund new monitors, carts, furniture, and ultrasound and X-ray machines.
“This expansion will help Kahuku Medical Center provide its timely, high-quality emergency care in an upgraded environment on par with any urban setting,” said Walter Panzirer, a trustee of the Helmsley Charitable Trust. “Helmsley is proud to help KMC expand its services to better serve residents of Oʻahu’s northern shores.”
The project will more than double KMC’s emergency department to 4,000 square feet, which includes eight to 10 treatment bays and a Level-5 trauma bay, aimed to improve patient flow, reduce wait times and allow clinicians to better stabilize patients in trauma, per the announcement.
KMC Chief Strategy Officer Kori Napaʻa told Aloha State Daily in response to emailed questions that there will be no jobs added with the footprint growth.
“KMC does not expect this expansion to create additional permanent positions,” she said, adding, "We do not anticipate any reductions in staffing or services before, during, or after construction. ... As patient volumes grow, we will continue to evaluate staffing needs accordingly.”
To minimize disruption to patients and hospital operations, she says the new emergency department will be constructed in an unused space adjacent to the existing one.
“For the construction phase, we will partner with local construction firms to employ local tradesmen," Napaʻa told ASD.
KMC has selected an architect and engineering firm to lead the project. Following the design phase, Napaʻa said construction will begin in the first quarter of 2027 and is expected to be completed by December 2028.
Of the $6 million Helmsley grant, $5 million is dedicated to expanding the emergency department, while the remainder will support the installation and implementation of KMC’s new electronic health record (EHR) system, she added.
“Combined with state funding, this investment allowed us to launch the project and successfully go live with EPIC on March 1,” Napaʻa said. “The new EHR will streamline care by improving workflow efficiency, making it easier for providers to access clinical notes, and enabling care coordination across most of Hawai‘i’s major health systems. These improvements will enhance quality of care while helping to reduce costs. For our North Shore and Ko‘olauloa communities, this level of connectivity is a significant advantage.”
KMC CEO Steve Nawahine said in the announcement that the renovations will expand capacity, modernize the environment, and ensure that every patient who comes through its doors receives dignified, compassionate care.
“We offer our deepest mahalo to The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust for its confidence in our mission and its commitment to advancing the health of the North Shore and Koʻolauloa regions,” Nawahine said. “Its support represents a truly transformative investment in our hospital and the community we serve. This partnership enhances our ability to deliver high‑quality emergency care close to home — care that is essential for rural families who rely on us in life’s most critical moments.”
KMC employs more than 200 workers and specializes in family and internal medicine, pediatrics, dental health, physical and occupational rehabilitation, mental health, preventive care, and more.
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Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros can be reached at kelsey@alohastatedaily.com.
