Kidney care resources for Hawaii families β Kapi'olani Medical Center (Hawaii's only children's hospital), inter-island travel for neighbor island families, mainland transplant referrals, and multilingual support. Hawaii families face unique geographic challenges: all specialty pediatric kidney care is on O'ahu, and transplants that require mainland care mean 2,400+ miles of travel.
~60K
Adults estimated to have CKD
Extrapolated from 1.4M population
1
Children's hospital in the entire state β Kapi'olani, on O'ahu
Kapi'olani Medical Center
2,400+
Miles from mainland β the closest mainland transplant centers are in California
Geography
8+
Languages spoken in HI kidney care communities β multilingual support critical
Hawaii demographics
Hawaii's Only Children's Hospital
Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children
Kapi'olani is the only children's hospital in Hawaii. All pediatric subspecialty kidney care, including dialysis, happens here β on O'ahu. Neighbor island families must travel to O'ahu for specialty appointments.
Aloha NITE / inter-island telehealth: Kapi'olani uses telehealth and outreach partnerships to reduce the number of trips required for stable patients. Ask your nephrologist whether your next follow-up visit can be done by video. Even one less trip from Maui or the Big Island saves a family a full day of travel and hundreds of dollars.
Neighbor Island Families
Inter-Island Travel for Care
Families on Maui, Hawai'i Island (Big Island), Kaua'i, Moloka'i, and Lana'i must fly to O'ahu for pediatric nephrology and all dialysis outside of limited community dialysis centers. Here is what to expect and how to get help.
Maui
~30 min flight to Honolulu. Maui Health System partners with Kapi'olani for referrals. Some community dialysis in Wailuku.
Hawai'i Island (Big Island)
~45β55 min flight to Honolulu from Hilo or Kona. Hilo Medical Center community dialysis available.
Kaua'i
~25 min flight to Honolulu. Wilcox Medical Center serves as the local hospital; specialty care on O'ahu.
Moloka'i & Lana'i
Small islands with no hospital; inter-island air ambulance or scheduled air for all specialty care.
O'ahu
Kapi'olani and all specialty pediatric care is here. Families already on O'ahu have local access.
Travel assistance
Quest Integration (Medicaid) covers medically necessary air travel. Ask Kapi'olani's social work team β they can help coordinate.
Quest Integration inter-island transport: Hawaii's Medicaid program (Quest Integration) covers medically necessary inter-island air travel when your child needs care unavailable on their home island. Your doctor must certify medical necessity. Kapi'olani's social workers can help navigate the authorization process. Call Kapi'olani social work at 808-983-6000 for guidance.
Mainland Referrals
When Care Requires the Mainland
Highly complex cases and some transplant evaluations are referred to mainland programs β primarily in California or Washington. This is a significant undertaking for Hawaii families. Plan early.
Ronald McDonald House β Mainland: Ronald McDonald Houses near major transplant centers provide free or low-cost housing for families of hospitalized children. RMHC chapters near UCSF (San Francisco), Stanford (Palo Alto), CHLA (Los Angeles), and Seattle Children's are important resources for Hawaii families during extended mainland stays. Book as early as possible.
For Adults
Adult Nephrology & Transplant
Dialysis
Dialysis Providers
For children on O'ahu, dialysis is at Kapi'olani. For children on neighbor islands, home peritoneal dialysis is often the best option β it eliminates the need for inter-island travel to a center. Ask your nephrologist about home PD training at your first appointment.
Multilingual Support
Language Access
Hawaii's kidney care communities speak many languages. Kapi'olani provides interpreter services. The following languages are commonly needed in Hawaii kidney care.
Interpreter Services at Kapi'olani
In-person medical interpreters available β request when scheduling your appointment
Video remote interpreting (VRI) available for less common languages
All patients have the right to a professional interpreter at no cost β you do not need to bring your own
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities: Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders have significantly higher rates of diabetes and hypertension β the two leading causes of kidney failure. The Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems (NHHCS) offers culturally grounded health programs. Ask your nephrologist or Kapi'olani social work about NHHCS resources for your family.
Financial Help
Financial Assistance
Education
Kidney Explorers in Hawaii
Request Kidney Explorers for Your School
Our interactive kidney education module is designed for elementary and middle school students. Ask your school to bring it into the classroom.
If this is a medical emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room immediately.
Do not wait to contact your nephrologist if you believe your child is having a kidney emergency. On neighbor islands, your local hospital emergency department can stabilize and arrange inter-island transport if needed.
Mainland resources β where Hawaii families often travel for transplant
nephraware