KAHULUI, Hawaii— A U.S. military health care clinic was launched at the University of Hawaii Maui College on Saturday, providing no-cost medical, vision, and dental services to the public from August 11-19. The clinic is part of a Department of Defense Innovative Readiness Training program called Tropic Care Maui County 2018 that will allow military members to receive hands-on training while providing health services to people in Maui, Molokai, and Lanai.
The Central Maui Tropic Care clinic opened its doors at 8:00 a.m., and 80 patients had checked in for services within the first two hours of operations, according to Lt. Col. Jeanine Sommerville, the clinic officer in charge.
Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa stopped by the University of Hawaii Maui College for the opening of the Central Maui clinic. Arakawa has previous experience with the IRT program: he and the county last supported a Tropic Care IRT in 2013. “It’s a real benefit to the people in the community,” he said. People are receiving services from “expert care providers and doctors and others who they would not otherwise have access to,” he added.
The IRT program partnered with the County of Maui and the Hawaii State Department of Health for the mission.
“Services are spread out throughout the campus,” said Jayme Tamaki, a public health supervisor with the Hawaii State Department of Health and the civilian operations section chief for the Tropic Care mission. “Signs were made, and security was around telling people where to go. It was nice to see the crowd lining up. We had a flow going in that room and took care of people. There was no grumbling. People were so appreciative.”
In addition to military service members, community volunteers showed up Saturday to lend a hand. It was wonderful to have volunteers show up at Maui College on a Saturday when they could be doing other things, said Keith Regan, the managing director of the Maui County Department of Management. Regan noted that a number of veterans were among those who volunteered their time. “They’re not here because they have to be here but because they want to be here,” said Regan.
“The volunteers are incredible,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Mark Bolen, a Medical Service Corps officer who is serving at the Central Maui clinic. “Everyone is so friendly, nice, and patient.”
Tamaki worked closely with volunteers to make sure that key civilian roles were filled. “Site coordinators know the most important positions to staff,” she said. Volunteers are taking four hour shifts from 8:00 a.m. to noon, or from noon to 4:00 p.m.
There were various challenges and worries leading up to the mission, but having been through the last Maui County Tropic Care mission in 2013, Tamaki knew that it would work out. She reassured volunteers “who haven’t done it that it’s going to work.”
The public is welcome to come to the Central Maui clinic between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. through August 19. No insurance, proof of income, residency, or photo identification is necessary. All clinics will provide physical health exams, school sports physicals (must bring school form), and blood pressure and disease screenings. Dental services will consist of exams, fillings, and extractions. Eye care services will include vision screenings and prescriptions. An additional service of single-vision eyeglass fabrication will be provided at the four Maui clinics, subject to stock on hand; no outside eyeglass prescriptions will be fulfilled. Patients are limited to one service per day.