COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

DATE:

February 2, 2009

BOARD MEETING DATE:

February 10, 2009

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

No

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Adrienne J. Tissier

SUBJECT:

Appointment to the Emergency Medical Care Committee

RECOMMENDATION:

Appoint Dr. Elden Schuller, of Moss Beach, to the committee’s emergency physician’s seat.

BACKGROUND:

The Emergency Medical Care Committee is a 21-member body overseeing ambulance services in San Mateo County. The membership includes representatives from law enforcement, fire services, emergency communications, health and medical services, coroner services and five members of the public, with no professional interests in emergency medical care.

DISCUSSION:

The committee’s emergency physician’s seat has been vacant since July 2008, when Dr. Vicki Mazzorana resigned because she was relocating out-of-state. Dr. Schuller was the sole respondent to the county’s newspaper ad announcing the vacancy. This appointment would be for the balance of Dr. Mazzorana’s term, expiring March 31, 2012.

Currently, Dr. Schuller is a staff physician at Seton Medical Center in Daly City, where he also serves as the assistant medical director of the emergency department.

Dr. Schuller holds a medical degree from the University of Minnesota and completed his internship as well as his residency in emergency medicine at the University of Southern California.

Throughout his career, Dr. Schuller has practiced emergency medicine under various circumstances, including at Kaiser-Permanente in Honolulu; Gallup Indian Medical Center in Gallup, New Mexico; and at San Mateo Medical Center (1993-1995).

In 2007, he was the “on tour” physician for the San Francisco Symphony.

Dr. Schuller’s experiences in medicine as well as health care administration will be assets to this committee and to the county.

FISCAL IMPACT:

None.