COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

San Mateo Medical Center

 

DATE:

August 10, 2004

BOARD MEETING DATE:

August 31, 2004

 
 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Nancy Steiger, Chief Executive Officer, San Mateo Medical Center

SUBJECT:

Keller Women and Children’s Services

 

Recommendation

Adopt a resolution authorizing the President of the Board to approve the plan for building the Keller Women and Children’s Service at San Mateo Medical Center.

 

Background

In the Spring of 2002 San Mateo Medical Center, working in collaboration with Health Services and a healthcare consultant, reviewed possible service lines to fill the two empty ground floor hospital units on which we were paying debt service but were not generating any revenue. After careful consideration, it was decided to move forward with the development of a labor and delivery service. This was based on the fact that there are over 10,000 deliveries annually from San Mateo County, of which more than 2,000 are Medi-Cal. More than half of the Medi-Cal deliveries from San Mateo County are delivered in hospitals outside of San Mateo County. In addition to this Medi-Cal market analysis, patient focus groups were held to assess consumer interest and willingness to use a new labor and delivery service at San Mateo Medical Center. Meetings were also held with Medical Center physicians, and an initial pro-forma and space analysis were completed. Additionally, site visits were made to other birthing centers, including Packard Children’s Hospital, where the majority of our patients currently deliver their infants.

In June of 2003, the San Mateo Medical Center Board gave approval to move forward with the development of Women and Children’s Services. A small planning committee was formed, including Medical Center administration and physicians. Packard Children’s Hospital was chosen as the tertiary university partner to act as a consultant for planning of services. Preliminary drawings for the four areas were completed (Labor-Delivery-Recovery and Postpartum, Operating Room, Postpartum Unit, and Level II Nursery). A project manager was assigned from the Department of Public Works to coordinate the construction project in collaboration with Medical Center staff. Thistlethwaite Architectural Group was selected through an RFP process and approved by the Board of Supervisors on January 27, 2004. In June of 2004, a phased plan of the opening of the Keller Women and Children’s Services was presented to the Medical Center Board, including pro-forma and budget. In July of 2004, a marketing plan was presented to the Medical Center Board, including this service. The Medical Center planning group is finalizing plans for submission of plans to the Office of Statewide Planning and Development (OSHPOD) in October of 2004.

 

Discussion

The goals of this project include: (1) bringing obstetric services to the community in support of the Medical Center’s mission, (2) providing a continuum of care for mothers and infants, (3) competing in the market place and capturing market share of obstetrics and pediatric services to generate revenue, (4) fill empty beds and maintain licensed bed count, and (5) attract women (who act as the primary healthcare decision makers) to the Medical Center.

This new service will provide facilities for obstetric services and will include an eight bed labor/delivery recovery postpartum suite, one delivery (operating) room, a separate eight bed postpartum unit, an eight bed Level II Nursery, and a normal newborn nursery. First year deliveries are expected to be approximately 1120.

 

Vision Alignment

We believe our recommendation is consistent with the Shared Commitment to Ensure Basic Health and Safety For All and Goal Number 5, Residents have access to healthcare and preventive care. The resolution contributes to this commitment and goal by providing for the development of a new Women and Children’s Services Unit at SMMC.

 

Fiscal Impact:

The cost of the project's is 9.8 million dollars. Four million dollars will be funded through the Keller trust. An additional one million dollars will be funded through the Medical Center Foundation. The additional 4.8 million dollars will be funded through a capital loan. The pro-forma shows a positive payment over the next five years.