California Emergency Physicians (CEP) has provided the physician and physician assistant staff for the Emergency Department at the San Mateo Medical Center for the last several years. SMMC has a continuous need for ER coverage and this group offers the hospital the benefits of a large practice with diverse specialization and administrative support.
Under this contract CEP will continue to provide board certified emergency room physicians twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. They will also provide coverage for correctional health and the Keller Center for Family Violence Intervention. Finally, CEP will provide physician extenders to the extent necessary to supplement the work load of the physicians. These physicians shall also provide medical supervision for Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) residents and restraint authority for PES patients in the absence of on-site psychiatry attending staff.
SMMC originally entered into contract extension discussions with CEP in December 2004. Prolonged negotiations were due to outstanding differences on rates and reimbursement. Both parties reached a mutually agreeable compromise in late May 2005 for a one year contract and will reopen negotiations in the Fall to develop a new Medicare Relative Value Unit (RVU) based reimbursement schedule to take effect in January 2006.
This Agreement incorporates current HIPAA language. Risk Management and County Counsel have approved the Agreement.
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