HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Each year, about 10,000 babies in the United States are born with a heart defect. In Hawaii, about two out of every 1,000 newborns are born with a critical heart defect.
Dr. Hiroo Kinami, Hawaii’s only full-time pediatric cardiac surgeon, said having a robust pediatric heart program at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children can mean the difference between families staying together at home and being forced to seek care thousands of miles away.
“This program allows more kids here in Hawaii to receive life-saving heart care close to home,” Kinami said.
Keeping care in Hawaii
Before Kapiolani’s pediatric heart program expanded, many families had to travel to the mainland for surgery or wait for visiting surgeons to come to Hawaii, Kinami said. Either option could delay time-sensitive treatment and add major costs…