Maui Memorial Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Wesley Lo said he welcomes the Lingle administration's efforts to analyze what he calls "the most controversial bill" approved this past legislative session.

He remained confident that the bill would be signed into law before the deadline July 10.

"I've still very optimistic about it," Lo told The Maui News.

Lo and his boss, Chief Executive Officer Tom Driskill of the Hawaii Health Systems Corp., testified this spring on opposing sides of Senate Bill 1792. The legislation forms a new HHSC board as well as five regional boards empowered to oversee the finances and operations of the state's 12 community hospitals. A 13th facility — Kahuku Hospital on O'ahu — was added into HHSC's fold this past legislative session.

Bill 1792 was introduced by Maui County's Senate delegation, Sens. Roz Baker, Shan Tsutsui and J. Kalani English. It had the support of Lo and his executive staff as well as other Maui Memorial employees who spent their own money and time to travel to Honolulu to speak in favor of establishing the hospital as a semiautonomous agency, freed from the oversight of the HHSC system.

Driskill acknowledged the awkwardness of the situation, saying it showed that all parties involved were seeking improvements in the state's health care system but differed on how it should be done.

On Monday, Hawaii Health Systems Corp. Public Affairs Director Miles Takaaze said the HHSC administration and board are no longer opposing Bill 1792.

"Overall, the HHSC board of directors believe the hospitals would be better served with the bill than without it," Takaaze said.

Lingle spokesman Russell Pang said the differing testimonies on the legislation led to the administration's decision to take extra measures to review the bill.

"All the more to go through it and evaluate it extensively," he said.

A regular bill review includes a study by the state department directly affected by it, a check by the state attorney for legal ramifications and a review by budget officials who research the money aspects behind the proposal.

Pang said Lingle had asked the HHSC to provide a written evaluation of the bill. In addition, Lingle's senior policy adviser Linda Smith plans to hold meetings with affected hospital personnel, including making Neighbor Island visits with doctors to get their input on the proposed legislation.

The governor is also accepting comments from the public.

"The governor wants to hear why people support it, and the governor wants to hear the opposition, too," Pang said.

Remarks may be e-mailed to governor.lingle@hawaii.gov; or fax (808) 586-0006.

Lo said he has filed a request to meet with Smith and possibly even the governor.

"This is the checks and balances of our government. The administration has to do its own review. I just hope we have a fair representation," Lo said.

Takaaze said while the HHSC administration and board support the bill, they are some concerns in implementation. For example, HHSC believes the new regional board members need to be "highly qualified and professional" members of the community they serve, given the board's responsibilities and the complexities of federal and health care requirements, Takaaze said.

Each initial regional board would have 12 members, including the chairperson of the HHSC board and his or her designee, and 11 members appointed by the governor as follows:

Two from a list of four nominated by the state House speaker.

Two from a list of four nominated by the state Senate president.

Four nominated by the hospital's Management Advisory Committee. (This panel would be abolished once the regional boards are established.)

Three physicians from a list of six nominated by a majority vote of the medical staffs of the hospitals in the region after first being nominated by the facility's medical executive committee.

Regional boards would be self-perpetuating, meaning any new members coming in after the initial appointments would be selected by the active regional board members.

The restructuring of the HHSC will increase its board by two to 15 individuals. Ten members would be appointed by the governor from nominees submitted by the legislative leadership (two from each region), along with two at-large members at the governor's discretion. Two physician members would be selected by the HHSC board from nominations submitted by the Management Advisory Committees and regional boards. The state director of health would also be an HHSC board member.

The existing HHSC board members will be phased out, with terms to expire Dec. 31, 2007, and Sept. 30, 2008.

Takaaze said Driskill had already begun to discuss details of the bill with staff across the state: "We have to act as a responsible planner, and everybody agrees there's work to be done to ensure a smooth transition."

Lo has also met with his staff to review how the bill will affect the Maui region. He is also "actively working" on a list of possible Maui regional board members from a variety of sources.