Dr. Wilfred C. Alik has joined Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center (HICHC) as the health center’s East side Medical Director. Dr. Alik will oversee medical staff and services, bringing guidance and expertise to Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center locations in Hilo, Kea‘au, Pāhoa and Ka‘ū. He will play an instrumental role in the clinical operations of HICHC, the newly merged organization that was formerly Bay Clinic on the East side of the island and West Hawaii Community Health Center on the West side.
“Dr. Alik is a dedicated public health advocate with a record of excellence in his previous role as Clinic Chief for Kaiser Permanente Hilo. We are honored to have him guiding the team as we work to improve healthcare outcomes and availability of care on Hawai‘i Island,” said CEO Richard Taaffe. “Dr. Alik has a real passion for making a difference in people’s lives and ensuring that all who need care are able to receive it. These personal values directly align with our organizational mission and we look forward to seeing our health centers, staff and patients alike, thrive under his leadership.”
Dr. Alik specializes in family medicine and in addition to his role as Clinic Chief, he served as the Chair of the Kaiser Permanente Diversity Council from 2000-2013. For over 20 years he has worked as a Team Physician on Medical Missions to the Republic of the Marshall Islands; caring for patients exposed to radioactive fallout. He is an active member of the Micronesian Health Advisory Coalition and a strong leader in the healthcare field.
Dr. Alik was born and raised in the Marshall Islands, he attended Xavier High School, a private, Catholic coeducational college preparatory school high school in Chuuk State (also known as Truk). Upon graduating, he left the Marshall Islands to attend Creighton University in Nebraska and Western Oregon University. He received his medical degree from the John A Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1994 and has been practicing medicine for nearly 30 years.
As COVID 19 hit both locally and globally, Dr. Alik headed the Marshall Island COVID 19 Task Force and worked hard to bridge gaps in care in Hawai’i for Pacific Islanders. He worked to ensure access to timely information, and helped to keep communities informed and receiving the care they needed.
Dr. Alik sees this new role as a natural fit for his own values, “as a Federally Qualified Community Health Center HICHC is really focusing on community, which means that we’re truly providing care to all regardless of their insurance status. I went into medicine to be able to serve those around me, to provide care to the underserved and be of service.”
Joining the team following the merger helps to expand the impact of his role, he explains; “With the merger, ‘community’ now means the entire island population, including the areas that have much less access to care – so we’re elevating quality of care island wide and not only one group or area. This will allow us to make a real difference in narrowing health disparity gaps and it’s an exciting thing to be a part of.”
Dr. Alik will supervise 18 medical providers, working collaboratively with an integrated care team including nurses and clinical support staff to provide care for over 20,000 patients each year at Hawaii Island Community Health Center locations in Hilo, Kea‘au, Pāhoa and Ka‘ū.
For locations, services, hours of operation, visit HICommunityHealthCenter.org
or call (808) 333-3600 for Eastside info and (808) 326-5629 for Westside info.