Wilcox Medical Center has opened what it says is Kaua‘i’s first interventional radiology suite, expanding access to minimally invasive procedures that previously could have required patients to travel off-island.
The new suite was unveiled during a blessing ceremony at the Līhuʻe medical center.
The facility will allow specialists to use medical imaging to guide biopsies and other procedures through small incisions. In some cases, doctors can diagnose a problem and treat it during the same procedure.
The addition is intended to give Kaua‘i residents greater access to specialized care without the time and expense of traveling to O‘ahu.
“Interventional radiology is the future, and we are excited to be able to offer it at Wilcox Medical Center,” said Dr. Chad Wilcox, an interventional radiologist and director of the medical center’s interventional radiology program.
In 2024, Wilcox Medical Center expanded its imaging programs and added additional state-of-the-art technology after receiving a $10.6 million grant from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.
Last year, on the islandʻs west side, the Trust awarded $10.6 million to the Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waimea for the development and enhancement of a new magnetic resonance imaging suite.
The trust also provided Waimea Hospital with $631,000 to help establish a Simulation Learning Lab.
The new interventional radiology (IR) suite, the first of its kind on Kaua‘i. The new suite will expand services for specialized, minimally invasive procedures. (Photo Credit: Wilcox Medical Center)- Kumu Sabra Kauka led the blessing at the new suite at the Līhuʻe Medical Center. (Photo Credit: Wilcox Medical Center)
- The Kauaʻi Veterans Memorial Hospital Learning Lab in Waimea offers training and educational support for medical staff, nursing, and high school students interested in healthcare careers. (Photo Credit: Xiomara Yamileth/ Kaua’i Now)
- File: Wilcox Medical Center
Wilcox said staff spent the past year preparing for the new service, including training, coordinating with the surgical team and obtaining the equipment needed for the suite.
The imaging suite was funded through a grant from the trust. Walter Panzirer, a trustee, attended the blessing and was among the first to tour the new space.
“Wilcox will now be able to provide Kaua‘i residents with top-notch diagnostic care closer to home so they don’t have to travel off-island for crucial scans and tests,” Panzirer said.
The grant also supports multiple imaging initiatives at Wilcox and a sleep room for the medical center’s new Family Medicine Residency Program.
As a not-for-profit medical center, Wilcox depends on donor support to expand its programs and services. Hospital officials said the Helmsley grant illustrates how philanthropic investments can help rural communities gain access to newer medical technologies.
“Our new IR suite reflects our ongoing commitment to provide comprehensive care close to home for our patients by implementing the most advanced technology,” said Jen Chahanovich, president and CEO of Wilcox Medical Center and CEO of Kaua‘i Medical Clinic. “… This investment will help Wilcox bring cutting-edge care to Kaua‘i families for years to come.”
The Helmsley Charitable Trust’s Rural Healthcare Program has awarded more than $65.5 million to organizations and initiatives in Hawai‘i to date.
