HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A well respected health care executive whose face became synonymous with medicine in Hawaii has passed away at the age of 80.
Dr. Max Botticelli, recently retired as the chief executive officer for University Health Alliance. UHA is one of the largest health-care coverage providers in the state.
Botticelli was also a professor at the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine and the director of the Queen Emma Clinic from 1986-1994.
Botticelli was a member of a number of community healthcare institutions over the years, most recently serving on the board of directors for the Waikiki Health Center.
Botticelli was taken to the Straub Medical Center this morning after experiencing chest pains at his home.
Botticelli's daughter Ann tells Hawaii News Now, "The biggest gift my dad gave us was that nothing was left unsaid—he always told us that he loved us."
"My sister and her family has been in town from the mainland," she added. "My brother came in from Kona for the weekend. We had a great weekend! Last night we all had dinner. He was really happy! He told all of us he loved us!"
He retired from his post at UHA in May of last year.
The John A. Burns School of Medicine released this statement Thursday night.
"The
John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) 'ohana and Dean Jerris Hedges are
saddened by the loss of Dr. Max Botticelli. At
the
same time, we are gratefully reminded of the contributions Dr. Botticelli made
to the education and training of generations of physicians from Hawaii. He was
a leader integral to the tremendous advancement in the quality of health care
in our state because of the training offered at our school and by its partners,
our academic medical teaching hospitals, at The Queen's Medical Center, Kuakini
Medical Center, Hawaii Pacific Health medical centers and Wahiawa Hospital, as
well as other partnerships in clinics and hospitals (and the offices of nearly
1,000 volunteer physician faculty members) statewide. Nearly half of all
practicing physicians in Hawaii have been trained at the University of Hawaii's
medical school. That is the tremendous legacy of physician educators like Dr.
Max Botticelli and of the vision of Governor Burns, our state legislature,
political and community leaders and the people of Hawaii who support Hawaii's
medical school."
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