A Potential Health Clinic for Volcano: Breaking the Cycle of Distance
For residents of Volcano, Hawaii, the simple act of seeking medical care is often a logistical and physical burden. With no local medical facilities, community members frequently travel long distances for primary care or pharmacy services, a reality that has led to delayed treatments and worsening health outcomes for the elderly and those with chronic conditions.
According to a report by the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, this long-standing gap in rural infrastructure may soon be bridged. A feasibility study, initiated earlier this year at the request of the state Legislature, has identified a 13.7-acre parcel along Volcano Road, directly across from the Kilauea Lodge and Restaurant, as a viable site for a new health clinic.
The Scope of the Proposed Facility
The project, overseen by the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation’s (HHSC) East Hawaii Region, envisions a facility designed to blend into the local environment. Plans call for a single-story, 10,000-square-foot building featuring a rust-red roof and wooden support beams. While the site spans over 13 acres, the clinic footprint would occupy only about four acres, including a 44-stall parking lot—a necessity given the high rainfall common to the area.
Inside, the proposed layout includes eight exam rooms and four procedure rooms, providing a suite of primary care, urgent care, and pharmacy services. East Hawaii Region CEO Dan Brinkman presented these architectural renderings, developed by consultants Flemming and Associates, to a crowd of over 80 residents on Friday.
“This is more than an idea,” Brinkman told the community. “This isn’t something that is in the ether. We could do this.”
The Path to Funding and Completion
The financial reality of the project remains the primary hurdle. The estimated $15 million price tag is expected to require significant public funding, as the HHSC’s operational revenue alone cannot sustain a capital project of this scale. W.H. Shipman Limited, the current owner of the land, has signaled support for the plan, with president Peggy Farias confirming the company’s intent to sell a third of the property to HHSC for the clinic’s development.
The timeline for completion is ambitious, spanning approximately four years from the current planning stage to the opening of doors. Brinkman outlined a two-year window for design, permitting, and securing funding, followed by an estimated 18 months of construction. If the project proceeds according to this schedule, the clinic could be operational by 2030.
Residents Face Serious Health Risks from Distant Care
For the residents of Volcano, the stakes are deeply personal. During Friday’s public meeting, attendees emphasized that the lack of local care has real-world consequences, noting that some neighbors have put off necessary medical visits or suffered from the complications of delayed care due to the distance required to reach providers in other towns.
“A lot of elderly people don’t want to make that trek, and they put things off, and small things … become larger and larger, and complications occur because of that,” one attendee noted.
Despite the optimism expressed by groups like the nonprofit Volcano Health Collaborative, several technical questions remain. Residents raised concerns regarding water access and potential traffic impacts, issues that Brinkman acknowledged would require further study. Options for water, including a combination of catchment and hauling, are currently under evaluation.
Ultimately, the project’s success hinges on a blend of legislative backing and sustained community advocacy. As the process moves into its next phase, the focus shifts to whether residents can successfully translate their local support into the state-level political priority required to secure the necessary funding. For now, the prospect of a clinic in Volcano remains a vision that requires significant bureaucratic and financial alignment before it can break ground.
