COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

County Counsel

DATE:

March 26, 2003

BOARD MEETING DATE:

April 8, 2003

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Thomas F. Casey III, County Counsel

SUBJECT:

Introduction and Adoption of an Ordinance Changing the Names of the Department of Hospitals and Clinics and Hospitals and Clinics to San Mateo Medical Center, and Director of Hospitals and Clinics to Chief Executive Officer, San Mateo Medical Center.

Recommendation

Adoption of an ordinance (1) changing the name of Department of Hospitals and Clinics to the San Mateo Medical Center, (2) changing the name of Hospitals and Clinics to San Mateo Medical Center and (3) changing the name of the Director of Hospitals and Clinics to Chief Executive Officer, San Mateo Medical Center.

Discussion

In 1970, San Mateo County Hospital was renamed Harold D. Chope Community Hospital in memory of Dr. Harold D. Chope, who had been Director of Health and Welfare from 1948 to 1970. In 1989, the name was changed to San Mateo County General Hospital. Due to these various changes, the facility lacked one standard name in the community. On June 7^th, 2002, the Hospital Board of Directors held an all day retreat to focus the organization on the development of the mission, vision and values. At that meeting, substantial time was spent discussing a name for the Hospital that incorporated these concepts and would improve name recognition in the community. On July 10^th, 2002, the Hospital Board of Directors approved San Mateo Medical Center as the name to forward to the Board of Supervisors for approval. On August 20, 2002, the Board of Supervisors approved a resolution changing the name of the hospital to the San Mateo Medical Center. Although the Board previously changed the name of the Hospital by resolution, the ordinance code needs to be brought in line with the resolution. The ordinance code, as it has evolved over the decades, contains inconsistent names for the Hospitals and Clinics (there are eight different names used throughout the code). Making the ordinance uniform and consistent in describing the Hospital will benefit the County government and the public.

Moreover, this ordinance changes the name of the department from the Department of Hospitals and Clinics to the San Mateo Medical Center, to make it consistent with the name of the Hospital organization.

Finally, this ordinance changes the name of the department head from the Director of the Hospitals and Clinics to the Chief Executive Officer, San Mateo Medical Center. When the Board hired Nancy Steiger, she was hired with the title of Chief Executive Officer. Therefore, this particular ordinance change brings the ordinance in line with a previously authorized department head title.

Vision Alignment

This agreement keeps the County's commitment to provide responsive, effective and collaborative governments and goal number 20: Government decisions are based on careful consideration of future impact, rather than temporary relief or immediate gain. The Retreat allowed for collaborative input into this decision and adoption of the name is the first step in moving the mission, vision and values forward towards the organization's future success.

Fiscal Impact

None.