Chairwoman Rita Barreras said the task force has, for now, deleted any recommendation on the state's certificate-of-need process, but will be taking up the issue before completing work on its findings and recommendations.

Task force members on Saturday adopted two committee reports with amendments, but are continuing to mull additional findings and recommendations that they will be making to Mayor Charmaine Tavares, the State Health Planning and Development Agency and the 2008 Legislature.

The task force recessed a meeting Saturday and will resume its deliberations at a session scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Kaunoa Senior Center.

The task force has approved reports from the Primary, Acute and Emergency Care Committee, and the Home and Community Based Services Committee.

Under acute and emergency care, the task force includes recommendations for upgrading and modernizing Maui Memorial Medical Center; establishing a critical access hospital in West Maui; and employing further analysis on whether South Maui should have its own acute emergency care facility. The task force is not recommending support for any specific facility, such as the West Maui Improvement Association's proposed 25-bed hospital on a site at Kaanapali.

The Home and Community Based Care Committee focused its attention on the county's long-term-care needs for both patients and their families; the need for more health care workers; and funding and reimbursement issues to cover costs of home-based services.

Barreras said the group still needs to discuss a report drafted by a third committee on disaster preparedness.

The task force was set up under a law approved by the 2007 Legislature to develop a comprehensive health plan for the county, with legislators noting that Maui County residents are seeking a greater say in health care planning process. The 15-member panel, with seven appointed by Tavares and eight by the Legislature, is required to submit a final report to the Legislature by Dec. 27. Members set a deadline of Friday to complete their recommendations, which also will go the SHPDA and Tavares.

During their previous discussions, Barreras said the members took out language related to the certificate-of-need law from the committee report. The issue of what to recommend, if anything, about the SHPDA law will be handled in a separate part of the task force's findings and recommendations.

In addition, Barreras said Dr. Emmett Aluli of Molokai, a task force member, has suggested inserting in the final report a section on health care needs in remote areas of the county like Hana, Molokai and Lanai. He's expected to provide written recommendations to Thursday's meeting.

In finalizing their report on Thursday, task force members expect to discuss legislative proposals for the 2008 session that convenes on Jan. 17.

Although the task force was initiated in response to criticism of a SHPDA decision to reject a proposed hospital in South Maui, task force members have said they would not endorse any health care projects. Their recommendations will outline what they believe is the county's most critical health care needs.

The Tri-Isle Subarea Council, a panel under the SHPDA, will be required to incorporate the task force recommendations into its review of health care services proposed for Maui County.