07/23/2025
**Important Update from Dr. Smith's Office **
To our dear patients and families,
Due to circumstances beyond our control, we’ve had to move out of our physical office before securing a new location. (Yes, it’s as stressful as it sounds—but we’re rolling with it, island-style.)
We are still seeing patients via telemedicine and home visits (especially for our kūpuna and frail patients).You can reach us at: 808-498-4827- Best way to reach us: Through your patient portal.-Second best? Leave us a voicemail—we do check them and return calls as quickly as we can.
-Need a refill? Please contact your pharmacy directly, and they’ll ping us for a quick response.
Want to help?Right now, the most impactful way to support us is by **donating at MohalaHealth.org. We’re raising funds not just for moving costs, but to hire a full-time receptionist and a second provider to help carry the growing load.
Here’s the bigger picture: There is a severe shortage of primary care providers in West Hawaiʻi. A national 2021 report ranked the Big Island as the third most underserved county in the U.S.—and since then, things have only gotten worse. In the past 6 months alone, over half a dozen providers have left Kona.
We’re staying. We’re adapting. And we’re committed to caring for our patients and your families. But we can’t do it alone.
Thank you for your trust, your patience, and your support as we navigate this transition. We’ll keep you posted here about volunteer needs and next steps: because community care takes a community.
With aloha,
Dr. Esther Yu Smith
Dr Smith Family Medicine/Mohala Health
