Almost one year into construction at the Hilo Benioff Medical Center, everything is “on track” with the expansion of the main hospital and the East Hawai’i Clinic facilities across the street.
Upgrades to the Ka‘u Hospital and Rural Health Clinic in Pahala also are progressing on schedule, officials said.
The 66,000-square-foot expansion to the hospital at 1190 Waianuenue Ave. should be completed by winter 2026, according to Chief Information Officer Kris Wilson. The expansion, which broke ground last April, offers the addition of a new 19-bed Intensive Care Unit on the second floor and 36 additional hospital beds on the third floor.
Wilson estimated that the expansion project is about one-third of the way to completion after 10 months, adding, “we’re actually very happy with the progress we’ve made thus far.”
Simultaneous projects that improve the hospital’s ability to serve East Hawaii include a “beautiful” $4 million roof replacement to the main hospital and a new Family Birthing Center that will be built on the second floor.
Wilson said the Birthing Center aims to “improve the birthing experience by having private rooms,” two of which are equipped with labor tubs to help the new mother experience more comfort during labor.
“We are marching toward a fall start,” Wilson said of construction for the Birthing Center, for which the design has been approved and bids will soon be sought. “The bid process is very straightforward, and we’ve been working closely with the county on permitting, so we don’t see any obstacles.”
As construction continues on both sides of Waianuenue Avenue, Wilson said “the public has generally gotten used to the new parking situation” with little difficulty.
There is still valet service available for $8 at the main hospital entrance and the option to call (808) 747-0275 for wheelchair or golf cart assistance, she said. With two to three people staffing each of those options and a low level of need being seen thus far, the wait times have been minimal, Wilson added. However, it is still recommended that patients arrive with enough time before appointments to utilize these options as needed.
Ka‘u Hospital’s additions and enhancements include the addition of five new exam rooms (bringing the new total to nine) as part of a 7,000-square-foot renovation of existing office spaces and a long-intended build-out of the facility’s backside below the main entrance level.
The revitalization of the Ka‘u facility, which broke ground almost three months ago and is expecting completion by early summer 2026, provides critical support for a rural community who would otherwise have to travel 45 minutes to an hour to the nearest medical center.
“It definitely has caused some excitement around Pahala to see their hospital being renovated,” Wilson said. “We’d like to thank the construction workers (from Nan Inc., who are doing both the Hilo hospital expansion and Ka‘u upgrades) for their hard work, rain or shine.”
Wilson said she feels secure that any cuts to funding or staffing connected to recent federal executive orders will likely not affect any of the hospital expansion projects in Hilo and Pahala because, “all the state funding has already been released and allocated.”
“We’re very thankful to our governor, our representatives, and our Big Island delegation that has worked so hard to get this money,” Wilson said.
When Gov. Josh Green presented a $100 million plan for medical facility improvements in East Hawaii to billionaire philanthropist Marc Benioff and his wife, Lynne, in 2023, they agreed to match $50 million in state funding.
HBMC spokeswoman Elena Cabatu said that although Rep. Mark Nakashima, who was “very instrumental in securing the funding,” passed away a few months after the groundbreaking in 2024, his replacement, Rep. Matthias Kusch, “has really taken up the reins to continue to advocate for the hospital.”
She also praised Sen. Lorraine Inouye, Sen. Dru Kanuha, Rep. Jeanné Kapela, and “all of our East Hawai’i legislators who pooled their resources and clout to provide this facility that will serve all of Hawaii.”
Email Kyveli Diener at kdiener@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
