Medical labor shortage tackled HONOLULU (AP) — The state is trying to address labor shortages in the health care field. ADVERTISING Hawaii doesn’t have enough physicians, speciality nurses, physical therapists, health information technologists and other workers providing medical care to
Medical labor shortage tackled
HONOLULU (AP) — The state is trying to address labor shortages in the health care field.
Hawaii doesn’t have enough physicians, speciality nurses, physical therapists, health information technologists and other workers providing medical care to patients. A state agency attached to the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations has developed a plan to address shortages in each of Hawaii’s counties.
The Hawaii Workforce Development Council has also highlighted legislative and regulatory barriers that prevent the hiring and retaining of medical professionals. The agency also plans to create an early warning system to track impending work force shortages.
Record number of air passengers
HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaiian Airlines carried more than 8.6 million passengers last year — a company record.
The company said Monday it transported 2.9 percent more passengers last year than in 2010, when 8.4 million people flew on Hawaiian aircraft.
The percentage of seats occupied, however, dropped. Hawaiian says 84.3 percent of its seats were filled during the year, down from 85.5 percent in 2010.
Injuries from fireworks down
HONOLULU (AP) — The Department of Health says fireworks injuries treated at Hawaii emergency rooms over the New Year’s holiday dropped dramatically this year.
The department says 22 people were treated for fireworks-related injuries from Dec. 31 through Jan. 2. That’s more than four times lower than the annual average of 96 people reported over the same period during the previous five years.
The department says 15 of the injuries were in Honolulu County. There were two in Hawaii County, four in Kauai and one in Maui.
$39 million rail contract signed
HONOLULU (AP) — Honolulu transportation officials have awarded a contract to design a high-speed rail around the city’s airport.
AECOM Technical Services has won a contract worth nearly $39 million from the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation to design a section of the city’s rail transit project.
AECOM will be responsible for a 5-mile portion of the elevated rail guideway from Aloha stadium to a transit center in Kalihi.
The company is required to finish the work by spring 2013. A separate construction contract will then be up for bid.
The entire 20-mile rail system stretching from East Kapolei to Ala Moana is scheduled to open in 2019.
