Dr. Garrett Hino
A new pharmacist position was recently created within the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) with the support of faculty at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy (DKICP) to broaden the role of pharmacy in safeguarding community health.
In February 2022, the agency hired Dr. Garrett Hino, a DKICP graduate and one of only two board-certified infectious disease pharmacists in the state, to focus on promoting antimicrobial stewardship that includes appropriate use of antibiotics.
“Experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic magnified the need for strengthening DOH capacity to address emerging infectious diseases, such as healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance,” explained Epidemiologist Enid Vélez-Valle, DOH Disease Outbreak Control Division. “Our focus is to prioritize patient safety and quality improvement through direct engagement with Hawaiʻi’s healthcare facilities, such as acute care hospitals and skilled nursing facilities.”
DOH has had a long-standing collaboration with the DKICP, including helping to identify qualified personnel that could take on in this effort, added Vélez-Valle.
“DKICP has been supporting the development of antimicrobial stewardship programs in the state since 2016 by providing technical assistance and education for participating healthcare facilities.
“Dr. Hino was brought on board to assess current areas of need in the healthcare setting,” she added. “He comes to us with great expertise.”
Hino completed a B.S. in Biology at UH Hilo, graduated from DKICP in 2018, was selected for a one-year residency at the College, and then went on to complete a two-year infectious disease fellowship at Loma Linda University Medical Center in California in 2021.
“In this new position, I’m part of a DOH team working to establish a relationship with the staffs at long-term care facilities and acute care hospitals around the state,” said Hino. “Our goals are to optimize antimicrobial stewardship practices through better education, and to reduce the development of antimicrobial resistance that can occur from inappropriate antibiotic use.
“I’m really happy to be able to work in my home state and serve our local communities,” he added.
“The College has a long history working with the DOH on antimicrobial stewardship and COVID response, and we assisted in the development of a proposal to the CDC for this new position,” explained Dr. Roy Goo, Pharm.D., associate professor and chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice. “This new position is a result of our work and demonstration of the value of pharmacists in public health.”
He said DKICP will continue providing oversight, strategic guidance and assistance in defining the scope of this role.
“This new position represents a significant step forward in the expansion of pharmacist roles in public health in Hawaiʻi, and Dr. Hino’s selection brings great credit to himself and the College.”