From Grocery Stores to Broadband Gaps: Connecting Community Health in Hawaii

In this episode of Access Amplified, Joanna sits down with Chrissy Kuahine, Director of Tech Equity at Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center. Together, they explore what it means to deliver true whole-person care in a community with one road in, one road out, and a huge digital divide. Chrissy shares how her team uses creative strategies, like telehealth kiosks in grocery stores and youth-led digital literacy for elders, to bring healthcare and essential services directly to the people.

Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center (WCCHC) serves a largely Native Hawaiian population on the west side of Oahu, where socioeconomic hardship and digital exclusion are daily realities. With 70% of patients living at or below the poverty line, and some areas lacking even basic internet infrastructure, access to healthcare goes far beyond clinic walls. 

Under Chrissy’s leadership, WCCHC has implemented telehealth kiosks in grocery stores, staffed with outreach workers who help community members apply for Medicaid, housing, or even build a resume. They’ve created decades of data infrastructure, developed custom care-enabling codes, and launched kupuna-focused digital literacy courses, some taught by teens, to bridge access gaps with dignity. 

The impact is clear: fewer barriers, stronger patient engagement, and a holistic model that prioritizes cultural relevance and real-world support. Chrissy’s voice reminds us that health equity requires meeting people where they are, and sometimes, that means the cereal aisle.

Chrissy Kuahine has 35 years of experience at Wai‘anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center (WCCHC), where she began as a Registered Medical Assistant before transitioning to Health Information Technology (HIT) and specializing in Electronic Health Records (EHR). As Director of Tech Equity, Chrissy leads initiatives to bridge the digital divide and improve access to technology-driven healthcare solutions. Her leadership in telehealth and digital literacy earned WCCHC the 2024 Techquity in Action Award from the American Medical Association (AMA). Chrissy holds a Master of Information Systems (MIS) and is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health to further contribute to improving healthcare delivery and equity.