COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Health Department

DATE:

January 9, 2007

BOARD MEETING DATE:

January 23, 2007

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Charlene A. Silva, Director, Health Department

Barbara Pletz, EMS Administrator

SUBJECT:

Agreement with Stanford Hospital and Clinics for Medical Direction and Consultation to Emergency Medical Services

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a resolution authorizing the President of the Board to execute an Agreement with Stanford Hospital and Clinics for medical direction and consultation to the Emergency Medical Services program for the term of January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2007, in an amount not to exceed $102,540.

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Ensure basic health and safety for all.

Goal(s): Residents have access to healthcare and preventive care.

The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Medical Director provides medical oversight of the EMS system. In this role he assures medically appropriate care by emergency medical responders.

Performance Measure(s):

Measure

FY 2005-06
Actual

FY 2006-07
Target

EMS Medical Director’s Quality Improvement Reports are Completed Monthly.

100%

100%

BACKGROUND:

California law requires that each local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agency have a Medical Director and specifies that these services may be provided by contract. Since 1999 these services have been provided in San Mateo County by the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) through its employee, Dr. Karl Sporer. This contract ended December 31, 2006, and Dr. Sporer has chosen not to continue providing this service to San Mateo County.

The Health Department solicited applications for a new medical director through a mailing to all California EMS agencies and to local emergency physicians. Five responses were received, and all were considered by a panel that included Dr. Sporer, another past San Mateo County EMS Medical Director, and the EMS Administrator.

DISCUSSION:

Dr. Eric A. Weiss, an employee of Stanford Hospital and Clinics, was selected by the panel. He has practiced emergency medicine at Stanford for 15 years. He is an internationally recognized expert in wilderness medicine and also has substantial experience in disaster and pandemic influenza planning. He began his career as a paramedic.

The contractor has assured compliance with the County's Contractor Employee Jury Service Ordinance, insurance and some of the contract provisions that are required by County ordinance and administrative memoranda. A mutual hold harmless provision is included in the Agreement. The equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination language have been modified at the Contractor’s request stating that it has been granted approval for such language in other Agreements with the County. The County Manager has approved modification of the language for both of these provisions as requested by the Contractor.

County Counsel has reviewed and approved the Agreement as to form and content. Risk Management has reviewed and approved the insurance coverage.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The term of the Agreement is January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2007. The maximum contract amount is $102,540, which is the same as the previous contract for medical direction with UCSF. The cost of this Agreement for FY 2006-07 is $51,270, and this amount is included in the FY 2006-07 Adopted budget. The balance of the cost of the Agreement will be included in the FY 2007-08 Recommended budget. There is no Net County Cost as a result of this Agreement.