Dr. Howman Lam. (Photo credit: MDX Hawaiʻi) For Dr. Howman Lam, patient care was always his priority.
The late JABSOM MD 1975 alumnus learned the importance of prioritizing patients when his own brother was diagnosed with pneumonia as a child. It was the compassionate care of his brother’s pediatrician that inspired Lam to become a physician.
After completing his medical school career at JABSOM and his Family Medicine residency at the Medical College of Georgia in Austin, he returned to Hawaiʻi in 1978 to begin his practice, which was located at the forefront of Downtown Honolulu. Along with his wife and staff, Lam served the surrounding community, which is predominantly Chinese, for more than 40 years.
About 60 percent of his patients were Chinese, and to their advantage, he could communicate with them in his native Cantonese. Through giving back to his community, he could provide more personalized and intentional care to his patients, while building relationships with them - even giving his cell phone number to them so they could reach him at any time.
Lam also built a good rapport with his Vietnamese patients, many of whom are refugees. While caring for these patients, he also picked up the language to effectively communicate with them.
“I have a very open and informal clinic,” Lam said in his philosophy of care. “My patients are part of my family. I love joking around with them. They bring me presents and sweets as gifts - especially during the Chinese New Year.”
Lam acknowledged the increase of health disparities in Hawaiʻi, especially among minorities, so he began educating his patients about healthy habits, such as eating the right foods, exercising daily and avoiding falls. He also explained the importance of caring for one’s mental health. He also ensured that his patients never missed an appointment by following up with them.
In 2019, his work was honored by MDX Hawaiʻi for his exemplary care of kupuna (elderly) in the community. According to MDX, “he was one of the top three out of 200 MDX Hawaiʻi primary care physicians to be honored because 95% of his eligible patients received annual health assessments.” The award is a result of Dr. Lam’s dedication to improving the health of his patients, and generations after them.
Lam passed on March 30, 2024, but the legacy of intentional and compassionate care for those around him lives on.
