Category: HVMA Updates

Legislative Update 2022

The Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association (HVMA) seeks to amend Chapter 471, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to better define the practice and parameters of veterinary medicine and veterinary telemedicine to protect consumers and their pets from inadequate, improper, or unlicensed veterinary care.  Further, because there is a shortage of licensed veterinarians in Hawaii, HVMA is proposing to provide for the temporary permitting of out-of-state veterinarians and providing for international veterinary school graduates to qualify for licensure examination in Hawaii.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated restrictions brought about consumer demand for telehealth in the field of veterinary medicine. Telemedicine has allowed consumers more access to veterinary services for their pets, particularly in areas where access to veterinary care is limited.  However, HVMA is aware that the use of telemedicine may also be abused without an established veterinary-client-patient relationship.  Without actual physical examination of a pet, veterinary services rendered through telemedicine alone can be inadequate and below the standard of veterinary care. The addition of telehealth definitions and the telemedicine section will help to clarify the practice of veterinary telemedicine and assist the Hawaii Board of Veterinary Medicine in ensuring consumers in Hawaii receive proper and licensed veterinary telemedicine services.

Additionally, the pandemic highlighted the shortage of veterinarians available to provide specialty and routine veterinary care for Hawaii’s people and their pets. At times, veterinary emergency hospitals were unable to operate 24/7 and surgeon schedules were completely booked for months due to the inability to fill these staffing shortages by temporary permit. In one specific case, there was a veterinary surgeon within the state that could have assisted during this period, but due to her international veterinary school degree, was unable to sit for Hawaii’s state licensing exam due to a technicality in the administrative rules. These amendments are critically important to prevent such veterinary care shortages in the future, and ensure that all qualified veterinarians are allowed to sit for the Hawaii state licensing exam.

This bill has currently been introduced to the House (HB 1598) by Representatives Johanson, Hashem, and Nishimoto; and into the Senate (SB 2798) by Senators Lee, Gabbard, Keith-Agaran, Misalucha, Acasio, Ihara, and San Buenaventura . Please take the time to thank them for their support, and write your local representative to ask for theirs!

Letter from the President – January 2022

Alfred Mina, DVM
HVMA President

Happy New Year Everyone!

As the COVID -19 Pandemic continues through 2022, we’ve learned how to adapt to providing veterinary care to the communities in Hawaii.  However, many of us have been affected by the omicron variant hitting close to home, causing staff shortage and supply chain issues.  Hopefully, 2022 gets better as we continue to stay vigilantly safe, healthy, and happy.  The HVMA board will continue to meet bi-monthly this year to discuss veterinary-related issues and prepare for HVMA Annual Meeting scheduled for November 2022.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us. 

Alfred J. Mina, DVM
HVMA President

HVMA Scholarship Announcement

Applications for the HVMA scholarship for current veterinary students from Hawaii are being accepted. Students must be enrolled full-time in an AVMA-accredited doctoral program of veterinary medicine and have graduated from a high school in Hawaii. Please share with any students you are mentoring!
All submissions due by 3/31/2022.
Application details here.

Mahalo for the PPE

Mahalo to HI-EMA for their donation of PPE to veterinary clinics around the state. Oahu’s distribution was held August 28-29th and was a success due to the generosity and hard work of many HVMA members. Thank you to everyone who donated their time and energy, especially Jamie Furutani, Mililani Mauka Veterinary Clinic, and Waipio Pet Clinic. We could not have done it without you!

We are working to coordinate similar smaller distributions on the neighbor islands. Please contact us if you are on a neighbor island and want to help.

HVMA 2021 Scholarship Awards

Congratulations to our two HVMA scholarship recipients for 2021!

Threnody Brown Earley-Clark is a 4th year student at the Royal Veterinary College in the UK. She was a part of the pre-vet club at UH Manoa and volunteered at the Animal Clinic of Honolulu and the Honolulu Zoo.

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Tyler Primavera is a WICHE scholarship recipient and 4th year student at Oregon State University. While exploring the veterinary field in Hawaii, Tyler volunteered at the Hawaiian Humane Society and worked at Kailua Animal Clinic and as a livestock inspector with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

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We look forward to welcoming them back to Hawaii and our local veterinary community.

In Remembrance – Eric Jayne

Eric Jayne, DVM, worked with Cat Friends, Molokai Humane Society, and the Hawaiian Humane Society, served as the Hawaii HSVMA representative, and was due back in the islands later this summer. He was with his partner Sally visiting their dear friend, Dr. Lori Gossard, in North Dakota when a semi truck hit their car from behind. Eric was killed instantly. He was a great man, an adoring husband, and doting father. He was tireless and committed to improving human and animal lives. His impact was felt by many, and will continue to be.

Sally plans to keep their non-profit, Sovereign Nations Veterinary, fully running and contributing back to the indigenous communities they serve. A celebration of life service for Eric was held in Des Moines, and a prayer vigil in his memory at the Rosebud Sioux Tribe reservation. His family started a go-fund-me page to help continue his work at https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-honor-of-dr-eric-jayne.

In Remembrance – Trevor Leo Rodrigues

Dr. Trevor Leo Rodrigues, 64, of Papaikou, HI, died at the Hilo Medical Center on Wednesday, June 9, 2021. He was born in Tanzania and was the owner of  Aloha Veterinary Center. He was also a member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Portuguese Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club of Hilo Bay, and the Makule Soccer League.

A compassionate and caring man who was always willing to help anyone who walked through the clinic door, he was admired for his selflessness, love of animals, and dedication to using his knowledge and understanding to help the community. His passing is a great loss for his family, friends and the veterinary community, and he will be deeply missed.

Private family services were held.

He is survived by his wife Colleen Rodrigues of Papaikou, HI, sons Jensen (Clarice) Rodrigues of Oahu, and Shea (Chaunda) Rodrigues of Hilo, HI, step-daughters Tiana (Dylan) Magdaro of Keaau, HI, and Kaylee Magdaro of Papaikou, HI, as well as brothers Kevin (Regina) Rodrigues of Kona, HI, Clarence (Keiko) Rodrigues of Kaneohe, Oahu, HI. He is also survived by four grandchildren, numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and a nephew.

Specialty/ER Service Interruption

The Hawaii Board of Veterinary Medicine has recently reinterpreted Hawaii’s veterinary practice law and begun rejecting the practice of veterinary sponsorship. This practice previously allowed many out-of-state specialists to share their services with our clients on a short-term or intermittent basis. All of us have benefited from referring our clients to visiting dermatologists, radiologists, surgeons, as well as our few emergency care centers that operate 24/7. This interruption in veterinary sponsorship has limited service hours at emergency clinics and worsened the backlog of surgery cases in Hawaii.

If your clients are being affected, please encourage them to file a complaint with the DCCA and Board of Veterinary Medicine to insist that they must immediately return to honoring the practice of veterinary sponsorship in Hawaii as clearly allowed by HRS 471(2)-5.