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Update: Eni to be medivaced to Tripler for treatment

American Samoa’s Congressman, Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin will be medivaced today (Thursday) to Honolulu for further medical treatment at the Tripler Army Medical Center.

 

Faleomavaega arrived in Pago Pago on Monday night but was admitted early the next morning to LBJ Medical Center. Cause of the hospitalization remains unclear and neither the hospital nor the Congressman’s office would reveal details citing the federal privacy law that requires the patient to consent for release of medical information.

 

Faleomavaega’s Office in Washington D.C. in a statement this morning reiterated that the Congressman “is not in a life-threatening situation” but didn’t provide any other details.

 

It did say that the Congressman’s office is subject to the federal HIPAA Privacy Rule which protects health information.

 

“While Faleomavaega is a public servant, LBJ is also not authorized to violate HIPAA rules for any reason or purpose,” it says.

 

According to the statement, the Congressman’s D.C. Office contacted Wednesday the Office of the Attending Physician and coordinated a conference call between the House physician and LBJ’s Dr. Jerome Amoa.

 

“After reviewing the Congressman’s stats, both physicians agreed that Faleomavaega is stable for travel and is not in a life-threatening situation,” the statement says. “Due to a lack of specialized capabilities [at LBJ], both physicians also agree that Faleomavaega should be provided medivac services to transport him to Tripler for further evaluation.”

 

The Hawai’i National Guard is coordinating the medivac flight, which departed Honolulu around 8a.m. today (Hawai’i time) and is due to arrive in Pago Pago early this afternoon.

 

More details as information becomes available.