Caring for Community
(From left) Dr. Whitney Limm, John Henry Felix and Dr. Thomas Kosasa. Photo by Lawrence Tabudlo
Drs. Whitney Limm and Thomas Kosasa, and John Henry Felix will be recognized for their ongoing work in bettering the health and welfare of Hawai‘i’s communities.
From the moment we are born until we pass away, our doctors are there for us. They deliver our babies, treat our injuries, diagnose our illnesses, help us heal and ease our pain. Whether we see them for a long-term ailment or a short-term emergency, we rely on their knowledge and skill.
And for more than a century, Hawai‘i Medical Association has supported doctors and others in the health care field by advocating for them and celebrating their hard work.
“Since 1856, HMA has been the voice of Hawai‘i’s physicians, their patients and community health,” says HMA executive director Marc Alexander. “Recognizing the ever-changing landscape of medicine and the business of health care, HMA understands the unique challenges facing health care providers and furthers their interest through representation, advocacy and service.”
The organization’s 2024 Ola Pono Ike gala, which takes place on Oct. 19 at Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikīkī Beach Resort, serves as both a fundraiser and an opportunity to raise a glass to three individuals who have gone above and beyond for the community.
Says HMA board president Dr. Elizabeth Ignacio, “The three leaders we’re honoring this year have each made significant contributions that better the health and welfare of our island community, while showing a generosity of heart and spirit.”
This year’s honorees are Dr. Whitney Limm, Dr. Thomas Kosasa and John Henry Felix.
As executive vice president of clinical integration and chief physician executive at The Queen’s Health Systems, Dr. Whitney Limm works behind the scenes to meet the expectations of doctors and patients.
“The goal is to provide patient-centered care that is safe, timely, effective, efficient and equitable,” he says. “The Queen’s Clinically Integrated Physician Network has over 1,000 physicians. One-fifth are primary care physicians, and the rest are specialists.”
Six hundred of those doctors are employed by The Queen’s Health System; the remainder are in private practice or single-specialty groups.
While it helps to have a clinical background, Limm, who is a surgeon by training, says it’s often the soft skills that help him excel at his job.
“What I’ve learned over the years is the importance of listening, the ability to adapt to new requirements and challenges, the willingness to delegate and the value of building trusting relationships,” he says.
“Working with physicians can be challenging,” he adds. “They are all very bright and have gone through at least seven years of education and training after college, and they are all independent thinkers.
“It’s important to give them a large degree of autonomy when they manage their patients, but we also have to be mindful of the need to decrease variations from evidence-based practices.”
Limm also leads QHS’s Patient Safety and Quality, and Graduate Medical Education and Research departments. And, he still finds time to perform renal transplants and general surgeries.
“I am fortunate to have an understanding and supportive wife,” he says, adding that he’s used to putting in long hours. Early on in his career, it wasn’t unusual for him to work 80 to 100 hours a week.
Dr. Thomas Kosasa hails from a family that has made its mark in local business circles. His parents, Sidney and Minnie, founded ABC Stores. His younger brother, Paul, is the company’s current president and CEO.
Thomas, who was described in the Feb. 10, 2005, MidWeek cover story as an overachiever and a modern Renaissance man (he raced cars professionally, retired as a U.S. Army major, has a pilot’s license and authored numerous medical journal articles), went in a different direction.
For nearly 50 years, he has been at the forefront of fertility treatment in the islands.
“I knew that delivering babies (would be) a very happy endeavor and that helping families have a child would be very rewarding,” he says.
He obtained his medical degree from McGill University School of Medicine in Montreal and completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology and fellowship in reproductive endocrinology at Harvard Medical School.
He delivered his first baby in 1967, when he was still a medical student, and hasn’t looked back. He is proud to have delivered hundreds of babies for Hawai‘i families since then. At his practice, he can diagnose numerous causes of infertility and help families come up with the treatment that will work best for them.
“With our present technology, every one of my patients can have a baby, which is the most rewarding part of my job,” he says.
True to the overachiever designation, he also teaches reproductive endocrinology at University of Hawai‘i John A. Burns School of Medicine, is a maternal and reproductive health consultant for the Food and Drug Administration, and was a past member of the Hawai‘i State Board of Medical Examiners.
John Henry Felix, Ph.D., is the epitome of service before self. It’s a lesson instilled in him from an early age by his mother, who had him recite The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi every night at bedtime.
One of the final lines is, “For it is in giving we receive.”
A tally of his philanthropic and community contributions is too long to list here in full, but they include introducing the state’s first smoking ban (when he was a Honolulu city councilmember in 2001), leading relief missions for the American Red Cross (and helping secure land and funding for its Diamond Head headquarters), volunteering as an aid worker in Vietnam, and serving in the Hawai‘i National Guard and U.S. Air Force Auxiliary.
In 1986, he donated the land that is now home to Hawai‘i State Veterans Cemetery in Kāne‘ohe. He cites this as his proudest accomplishment. But ever humble, he credits former Gov. John Waihe‘e III for working with him to make it a reality.
He is executive chairman of Hawai‘i Medical Assurance Association, which provides coverage for more than 40,000 employees at small- and medium-sized businesses across the state.
“The health insurance business facilitates access to care, lowers death rate, improves health outcomes and improves quality of life,” he says. “It’s important to make sure all people get the health care services they need.”
Now 94 years old, the Eagle Scout is looking to the next generation to continue his good work.
“It would mean a lot to me to see young people give of themselves,” he says. “This is why I’m a lifelong supporter of the Boy Scouts, which works to shape the lives of young boys and girls with leadership skills and character development.”
Worthy Causes
A portion of the proceeds from this year’s Ola Pono Ike Gala will support three medical nonprofits:
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine’s H.O.M.E. Project offers free medical services to houseless individuals at Pai‘olu Kaiaulu Shelter in Wai‘anae, Onelau‘ena Shelter in Kalaeloa and the Institute for Human Services Men’s Shelter in Iwilei. Its mobile health van also provides outreach to unsheltered houseless individuals in Kaka‘ako. Visit jabsom.hawaii.edu/health-care/community-service.
‘Ohana Medical Mission, an arm of the Philippine Medical Association of Hawai‘i, assists disadvantaged pre-med and med-school students by giving them access to educational opportunities beyond traditional classrooms. It does this by sponsoring medical missions to the poorer provinces in the Philippines. For more information, visit pmah-hawaii.org/ohana-medical-missions.
National Alliance on Mental Illness Hawai‘i uplifts families affected by mental illness through support groups and public awareness campaigns. It believes that the more people understand mental illness, the less likely they will be to succumb to prejudice and stigma. Its 2024 NAMIWalk takes place from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 12 at Frank F. Fasi Civic Center Grounds. For more information, visit namihawaii.org.
To learn more about HMA, including its Ola Pono Ike gala, visit hawaiimedicalassociation.org.
