Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital

Original Mahelona Hospital, circa 1940.

1917 — Hospital opens a 50-bed hospital for local tuberculosis patients.

1951 — New 110-bed Main Hospital Building is completed. It was dedicated on June 14, 1952.

1960 — Hospital begins treatment of mentally ill, in response to decline of the number of tuberculosis patients. For the next two decades, the hospital gradually shifts to provide more long-term care services.

1971 — Occupational Therapy building is completed.

1982 — Hurrican ‘Iwa demolishes Male Staff Quarters and inflicts minor damages to other buildings.

1983 — Part of Main Hospital is renovated as a locked, separate nine-bed acute Psychiatric Unit.

1986 — An eight-bed Hospice Building is completed.

1992 — Hurricane ‘Iniki caused extensive damages. Patient Care areas are functionally destroyed, and were later rebuilt. Ground Shop and Offices, Serenity House, Headstart and Staff Quarters were also destroyed.

1994 — The hospital’s New Strategic Plan, developed with the Kaua‘i community, emphasizes development of a full-care campus for the elderly and disabled.

1996 — The hospital becomes part of Kaua‘i Region of Hawai‘i Health Systems Corporation.

2004 — The eastside Kaua‘i Community Health Clinic, a Federally Qualified Health Clinic, was rented facilities on the campus to assist in serving primary care medical and dental needs of the uninsured and underinsured of the community.

2005 — Mahelona becomes East Kaua‘i’s Critical Access Hospital and opens a 24-hour emergency services and five acute care beds.

2017 —
Services include 24-hour emergency services, imaging (digital Xray), rehabilitation therapies (occupational, physical and recreational), skilled nursing, intermediate, long-term and acute care. The hospital has 80 beds, comprising 66 long-term care beds, nine psychiatric treatment beds and five acute care beds.