Volcano healthcare clinic feasibility study details unveiled

Volcano Village Clinic Moves from Dream to Detailed Plan, Awaiting Critical Funding

“This is more than an idea…,” Dan Brinkman, the CEO of the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation’s East Hawaii Region, told a crowd of over 80 community members in Volcano last week. “This isn’t something that is in the ether. We could do this.” The Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported that Brinkman was unveiling the findings of a long-awaited feasibility study, confirming that a 13.7-acre lot across from Kilauea Lodge has been formally identified as a potential site for a healthcare clinic in the area.

The project, which has been the subject of community advocacy for years, addresses a stark reality for the rural Volcano community: a complete absence of local medical facilities. Residents currently face a significant trek to access basic healthcare, a burden that has had tragic consequences. As one attendee at the public meeting bluntly stated, “We’ve lost family members recently because, in part, the distance was so long.” The proposed clinic would offer primary care, urgent care, and pharmacy services in a single, convenient location.

Blueprint for a Community Lifeline

The feasibility study, commissioned by the state Legislature, provides a concrete vision for the clinic. The plan calls for a 10,000-square-foot, one-story building with a rust-red roof and wooden support beams, designed to blend with the local character. The building would contain eight exam rooms and four procedure rooms, complemented by a 44-stall parking lot— a crucial detail for an area known for its heavy rainfall. The entire medical facility would occupy just four of the 13.7-acre site, leaving the remaining forested land untouched, according to the plan.

Architectural renderings from the study’s consultant, Flemming and Associates, show a thoughtfully designed layout. “They put a lot of work, I think, into trying to put together something that would fit in the local character,” Brinkman explained. “You get a lot of rain here, so you have to have parking. You have to have drop-offs. You’ve got to have areas that are separated. So, how you use the facility drives the design.” The site is currently owned by W.H. Shipman Limited, and its president, Peggy Farias, attended the meeting to express her company’s support for the project and its intent to sell a third of the property to HHSC.

The $15 Million Question and the Path to 2030

The most significant hurdle, however, remains the cost. Brinkman estimated the project would require approximately $15 million, a sum that cannot be covered by the East Hawaii Region’s operational revenue alone. “This project will need some public support and funding,” he said. “We (East Hawaii Region), through our operations and the revenue we generate, we do contribute to these projects, but we can’t build them generally ourselves. We require some support from the taxpayer.” He emphasized that community advocacy would be key to securing that funding, urging residents to contact their elected representatives to elevate the project’s priority.

The timeline for turning this plan into a reality is a long one, but it is now mapped out. Brinkman broke down the process: the design, planning, and funding efforts could take up to two years, followed by an 18-month construction phase. “Probably from concept to, if everything works all the way out, to actually getting it built is about a four-year process,” he stated. This means a projected completion and opening date of around 2030, assuming funding is secured and all other processes proceed smoothly.

The community meeting also surfaced practical questions that will need to be addressed as the project moves forward. Concerns were raised about water access for the new clinic and the potential impact on local traffic. Brinkman confirmed that a combination of rainwater catchment and water hauling is being explored for the clinic’s needs and that a formal traffic study will be conducted if and when the project gains final approval.

“This vision, and I hope it’s your vision, too — I think it is — in our lifetime, to have this happen right in all of our Volcano Village is something to visualize.”

Ira Ono, president of the nonprofit Volcano Health Collaborative

The overwhelming sentiment at the meeting was one of cautious optimism and relief. The Volcano Health Collaborative, the nonprofit largely credited with leading the push for a clinic, saw the unveiling of these details as a major victory. Ira Ono, the group’s president, captured the feeling of the room, expressing hope that this long-sought goal would become a reality within the community’s lifetime. The next step is the one that carries the most weight: converting this detailed plan into funded action. For the residents of Volcano, the dream of a local clinic is now tangible, but its future depends on the commitment of public funding and the sustained pressure of a community that has waited far too long.