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The HMA
Serving Hawaii since 1856, the Hawaii Medical Association (HMA) is a voluntary, professional membership organization for physicians, resident physicians, and medical students in the state of Hawaii. HMA is dedicated to serving physicians, their patients, and the community through representation, advocacy, and public service. HMA is part of the American Medical Association (AMA) and is the parent organization for Hawaii's five component medical societies that operate independently, but in a network with the HMA:
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Hawaii County Medical Society - President: JoAnn Sarubbi, MD
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- Kauai County Medical Society - President: Christopher Jordan, MD
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Maui County Medical Society - President: Darren Egami, MD
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West Hawaii Medical Society - President: Ali Bairos, MD
HMA Goals and Objectives
The goals and purposes of the HMA and its county medical societies are to:
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Promote the science and art of medicine and strive to improve public health.
- Participate in the development of health policy for the state.
- Provide information related to medicine.
- Establish and maintain standards of professional conduct and performance.
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Participate in evaluation and maintenance of standards for medical education.
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Preserve high quality of care standards.
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Assist physicians in responding to the changing medical practice environment.
President: Morris Mitsunaga, MD
President-Elect: Roger Kimura, MD
Immediate Past President: Robert Marvit, MD
Secretary: Thomas Kosasa, MD
Treasurer: Stephen Kemble, MD
(Obtained from the Hawaii Medical Library)
The original founding of the Hawaii Medical Association dates back to May 1856 when ten Honolulu physicians petitioned for a charter of incorporation. Later that year, a charter was granted to the Hawaiian Medical Society. At its first meeting, the Society elected Dr. Robert W. Wood as president, Dr. William Hillebrand as vice president, Dr. Charles F. Guillou as secretary, and Dr. Edward Hoffman as treasurer.
Thirty-four years later another group of physicians began meeting informally. These doctors elected Dr. John S. McGrew as their president in 1892. Three years later, the group printed a constitution and by-laws for the Medical Association of Hawaii. The Association also called itself the "Hawaiian Territorial Medical Society" in its published transactions from 1904 to 1925. At its 1925 annual meeting, the group formally reorganized itself to create the Hawaii Territorial Medical Association.
The "inadvertent" name change from the original Hawaiian Medical Society was officially noted in 1940. After making the proper amendments and getting official approvals, the Hawaiian Medical Society legally changed its name the following year to the Hawaii Territorial Medical Association on the original and still valid 1856 charter.
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On May 19, 1856, ten physicians presented a petition to the Privy Council of King Kamehameha IV, requesting to a charter of incorporation. The Council immediately approved the petition with the following words:
Hooloia; O ka palapala noi a Hillebrand ma, aiwa lakou, he poe Kahuna [!] la kou, i palapala hui na lakou, ua aeia, a ua kauohaia ke Kuhina Kalaiaina e haawi aku, me ka malama aku, ua pololei Ke kakau ana.
Resolved; That the Petition of Dr. Hillebrand and nine others, medical men, for a charter are [sic] granted, and the Minister of the Interior is directed to grant the same, taking care that it be properly drawn up.
After the organization held its first meeting on August 13th, the Charter was published in The Pacific Commercial Advertiser on August 21st and in The Polynesian on August 30th.
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