David J. Martin, CAE
CEO/Executive Vice-President
Society of Critical Care Medicine
Frederick P. Ognibene, MD, FCCM
President
Society of Critical Care Medicine
Aloha! We hope you are planning to join us in the lovely islands of Hawaii for what promises to be the Society of Critical Care Medicine’s (SCCM) most exciting Critical Care Congress yet. Our first in Hawaii, this Congress will provide the perfect setting for a clinical and scientific knowledge exchange coupled with plenty of opportunities for relaxation. You will be amazed by how quickly you immerse into the relaxed, spiritually rejuvenating environment of Hawaii. Return home stress-free but invigorated and ready to put your newly gained knowledge into clinical practice. We have provided some interesting tidbits about Hawaii to help attendees more fully appreciate and understand why the Society has selected this exciting destination for its Congress.
Cultural Diversity
Hawaii is one of the most racially diverse places in the world; there is no majority so everyone is in a minority! The 2000 census reported that more than 20% of the population claimed multi-ethnic backgrounds, far more than any other state. More than half of Hawaii's population is at least part Asian, about the same percentage is part Caucasian, and about a quarter claim Hawaiian ancestry.
During the 19th century, many Asian groups left their homelands for Hawaii, most lured by promises of money and better lives. The success stories of these people encouraged ongoing Asian migration. Today, about 45% of marriages are inter-ethnic, and Hawaii boasts many diverse neighborhoods and social networks. Caucasians and Japanese make up the two largest ethnic groups in Hawaii, followed by Native Hawaiians, Filipinos, Chinese, Koreans, Southeast Asians, African Americans, Samoans, Tongans, and others.
Healthcare workers know from experience that when cultures come together, tensions and problems can arise. During the early years, Hawaii saw problems related to cultural differences, negative views about interracial marriages and language barriers. Over time, Hawaiians developed a strong sense of understanding and acceptance, forming a diverse, productive and prosperous state. This multicultural, multiprofessional, multilingual society closely mirrors the diverse environment of the intensive care unit. Since its inception, the Society has supported diversity, knowing long before the scientific evidence was available that widespread diversity improves care delivery.
A Heritage of Healing
Hawaiians always have led healthy lifestyles that include a well-balanced and nutritious diet, physical fitness achieved through both labor and sport, and a fastidious attitude toward personal hygiene. The first Westerners to visit the Islands remarked on Hawaiians' grace and strength, bright teeth and general cleanliness. Health was understood to be the result of pono, or right living. Native healers integrated psycho-spiritual methods with physical treatments.
In addition to the arriving sailors, merchants, adventurers, planters, ranchers and missionaries from the West, there also were healthcare providers. In the late 1700s, Don Francisco de Paula y Marin was one of the first documented Western healthcare providers to come to Hawaii. Not only did he practice the healing arts, but he also was a consul of various South American republics, a captain in the Hawaiian army, an agent for various ships' captains, a tax gatherer, an interpreter and an inspector of sandalwood weights.
Dr. James W. Smith, a New England physician missionary who came to the island of Kauai in 1842, spent much of his 45 years on the island battling to save locals from devastating epidemics brought by foreigners. For three decades, he was the island’s only Western-trained doctor. Both his son and grandson also became physicians and continued to provide healthcare on many of the islands. His grandson, Dr. A.H. Waterhouse, became known for his efforts to provide affordable housing to immigrant plantation workers and college educations for their children.
In 1859, The Queen's Hospital (now called The Queen's Medical Center) was founded by Queen Emma and King Kamehameha IV. At that time, the continued existence of the Hawaiian race was seriously threatened by the influx of disease brought to the islands by foreign visitors. Queen Emma enthusiastically supported the proposal, and the two campaigned tirelessly to make it a reality.
Healthcare providers have long been attracted to the islands and served a vital function in improving the lives of the Hawaiian people. Then and now, they also are known for their many other charitable activities.
Laboring with Love
Most of us spend more time working than playing or being with family. Depending on where you work, your job can be a source of great pleasure or a harbinger of stress, burnout, anger or depression. The Pleasure Prescription, by Paul Pearson, PhD, discusses this issue in depth. The author discusses how modern-day employees literally work themselves to death. Stress on the job continues to be a leading cause of illness and accounts for billions of lost dollars because of inefficiency, despair, tardiness and absenteeism. Polynesians, on the other hand, view working as the sacred opportunity to express respect for the work and to connect with community. Sigmund Freud once said the keys to a healthy life were lieben und arbeiten, to love and to work. He meant that a balance between laboring to make a living and loving to make life worth living makes for a joyful and healthy existence. Polynesians found that balance in what they called po’okela, excellence in working, which is based on valuing the earth over meeting personal objectives.
During this year’s Congress, the Society has reorganized the schedule to ensure a healthy balance of learning, socializing with colleagues and spending time with loved ones. The program includes several learning opportunities focused on how to achieve a healthy work and life balance. Of course, the 37th Critical Care Congress aims to provide you with the latest knowledge in critical care. However, we also want to rejuvenate your body and soul so that you return home with a new outlook on patient care and on life. We know you became a critical care provider because it was a labor of love, and we hope you return to that state during the Congress. For this task, is there any better place than islands of Hawaii?
Mahalo. We look forward to seeing you at the 37th Critical Care Congress.
Recommended Readings:
For more information about the history of Hawaiian medicine, visit the Mamiya Medical Heritage Center at www.hml.org/mmhc
Pearsall P. The Pleasure Prescription. Alameda, California: Hunter
House, Inc.; 1996
Cook EE. 100 Years of Healing: The Legacy of a Kauai Missionary Doctor. Koloa, Kauai: Halewai Publishing; 2003
