COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Health Department

DATE:

August 31, 2005

BOARD MEETING DATE:

September 20,2005

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Charlene A. Silva, Director, Health Department

Chris Flatmoe, Director, Information Services Department

SUBJECT:

Health Department Information Technology Strategic Plan

RECOMMENDATION:

Accept the Report on the Health Department Information Technology Strategic Plan (ITSP).

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Responsive, effective and collaborative government

Goal(s): 20. Government decisions are based on careful consideration of future impact, rather than temporary relief or immediate gain.

Performance Measure(s):

Measure

FY 2005-06
Estimate

FY 2006-07
Projected

Completion of the Health Client Datastore

25%

100%

BACKGROUND:

The Health Department and Information Services Department (ISD) collaboratively engaged the services of a consultant and worked together to assess the technology needs of the Health Department. The consultant, Kurt Salmon Associates (KSA) previously had worked with the San Mateo Medical Center and ISD to develop a strategic plan in 2004. KSA, ISD and the Health Department used the expertise gained in that previous engagement as a baseline for the technical environment.

The strategic planning effort included review and assessment of previous planning efforts, review of the Health Department’s Strategic Plan for operations and planning documents from the Divisions of the Health Department. Interviews were conducted of key stakeholders throughout the Health Department and ISD. We developed the first Strategic Plan for the Health Department since 1995.

DISCUSSION:

The Strategic Plan includes many recommendations. The most important recommendations are:

-

Retain existing Division-specific applications and continue to augment and enhance them as indicated by each Division;

-

Develop a near-real-time operational data store of client data (Health Client Data Store, or HCDS);

-

Develop a front-end overlay (portal) for client registration and to facilitate case management (Health Client Portal);

-

Establish a department-wide IT governance policy with specific responsibilities for implementation of the IT Strategic Plan;

-

Upgrade network and storage infrastructure; and,

-

Other recommendations related to operational needs within each of the divisions.

The report and the ITSP describe these recommendations in greater detail.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The one-time costs to implement the ITSP are estimated to be $6 million. In addition, there will be ongoing operating costs which are estimated to be $3 million and will be part of the operating budgets of each of the Divisions of the Health Department. The implementation cost of the ITSP will be paid over several years.

Primary among the projects is the HCDS. It is a department-wide data store, with information on all clients. It will serve as the source of information for ongoing analysis of services provided by the Department. The total cost of HCDS is estimated to be $1.75 million and will be developed in two phases. The first phase is estimated to cost $610,000 in 2005-06 and the second phase will be about $1,140,000 in 2006-07. These costs will be funded through Health Department reserves and will be included in the September budget hearings.

Some projects with division-specific focus are planned in 2005-06 or 2006-07 and the expenses are planned in the operating budgets for those divisions. Some other projects are still being evaluated and cost-estimates are not yet complete. For those projects there will be a special reserve set aside within the operating Divisions of the Health Department. As those projects are ready to begin an Appropriation Transfer Request (ATR) will be brought to your Board by the Health Director and the ISD Director for your review and approval.