Dr. Elizabeth “Libby” Char, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) alumna, assistant clinical professor of surgery and an emergency room physician, has been appointed by Gov. David Ige to serve as interim director of the Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH), effective September 16. Char replaces Bruce Anderson, who announced his retirement in late August.
“Dr. Char brings experience in medicine and administration to the department during a time of great stress on the state’s healthcare system. I’m confident that she will step into the role with energy and passion for ensuring the health of Hawaiʻi’s people,” said Ige in a news release.
“I am honored to fill the position of director of health for the State of Hawaiʻi. We are in a difficult position, with a heavy burden of COVID-19 affecting the health, well-being and livelihood of so many of us. We must move forward together, through collaborative efforts, caring for each other with a shared sense of purpose. In doing so, we will regain the health of our communities and our state,” stated Char in the news release.
More on Char
A graduate of JABSOM, Char returned to Hawaiʻi after completing residency training in California to practice emergency medicine at Queen’s Medical Center. She has a wealth of clinical and administrative experience, previously serving as the State of Hawaiʻi EMS district medical director for Oʻahu. She provided administrative oversight for the City and County of Honolulu EMS system for many years and has expertise in training EMS providers in the state of Hawaiʻi.
In 2011, Char served as chairperson of the Health and Medical Planning committee for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, involving 21 heads of economies and approximately 10,000 attendees. She coordinated public and private hospitals, emergency medical responders, and county, state and federal agencies, in providing health and medical support and response for the international event.
“Dr. Char will add much value in her new role. She brings extensive experience working with the state and city/county health enterprises. They value her collaborative leadership style that manages both the big picture and key details,” said JABSOM Dean Jerris Hedges.
Recently, Char was awarded the Eagles 2020 Michael Keys Copass Award for her service, contributions and leadership in out-of-hospital emergency care and for serving as a role model for EMS personnel and fellow 911 system medical directors across the nation. She represented Honolulu in the Eagles, a coalition of EMS medical directors from major U.S. municipalities and counterparts around the world.
Char currently focuses her efforts on developing systems of care, training, protocols and emergency response utilizing best practices in the pre-hospital environment. She provides medical direction for several EMS and fire agencies across the state.
Community Behavior letting our guard down too early!
First, let me comment that there are many doctors far more informed than myself who I hope and trust you are consulting for clear insight into Hawaii’s risk for another surge. I fear there is major misconception on our current risk for resurgence of
Covid-19 and particularly Covid variants. SURVEILLANCE DATA based upon your own DOH surveillance to date shows a
positivity rate of 7.7% (Oahu) and within the 18-64yr population your surveillance data is 9.8%. As we drive along H1 we
see numbers derived differently looking more optimistic than realistic at 1%. The community does not note the distinction
in these sets of data, and I am concerned that our political leaders don’t either. Take a look at Waikiki, beach , shopping centers
and you can see risky behavior at precisely the time we need to be consolidating our effort to increase vaccinations and
increase surveillance . This virus does NOT care about our economic or social needs, its doing exactly what it does to
survive, select out stronger strains and succeed in infecting more of us.
* Data CDC DOH Covid Surveillance Week 9 2020-21 Covid 19positivity 3.3%(92 surveillance specimens)
Season to date Covid positivity rate 7.7%
(2,716 ) specimens Covid positivity rate age 18-64y 9.8%