COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Health System

 

DATE:

December 8, 2009

BOARD MEETING DATE:

March 23, 2010

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Jean S. Fraser, Chief, Health System
Susan Ehrlich, MD, MPP, Chief Executive Officer
San Mateo Medical Center

SUBJECT:

Second Amendment to the Agreement with Contra Costa Regional Health Foundation

 

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a Resolution authorizing the President of the Board to execute a second Amendment to the Agreement with Contra Costa Regional Health Foundation to provide administration of the automated processes for the provision of voice and video medical interpretation services for the term January 1, 2007 through June 30, 2009, approving assignment of the Agreement to Health Care Interpreter Network and increasing the maximum fiscal obligation by $55,000 from $130,000 to $185,000.

 

BACKGROUND:

On March 13, 2007, the Purchasing Agent approved an Agreement whereby the County would participate with Contra Costa County Health Services and San Joaquin County Health Services (collective, the “Owners”), in a Regional Health Care Interpreter Network (HCIN). The Owners selected Contra Costa Regional Health Foundation (Contra Costa) to serve as the Executive Administrator for HCIN.

 

Contra Costa, as the Executive Administrator, administered the automated processes for the provision of voice and video medical interpretation on a regional basis and administered HCIN’s contracts with multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) provider (AT&T) and the Network Operating Center (Quest), among other duties and responsibilities.

 

DISCUSSION:

In April 2009 Contra Costa Regional Health Foundation ceased to be the Executive Administrator for HCIN. At that time, the Agreement was assigned directly to HCIN. This amendment reflects that assignment.

 

Additional expenses were incurred by the County during the last quarter of the Agreement because one of the two SMMC Spanish interpreters resigned and a decision was made not to fill that position. This amendment adds funding for interpreter calls made to other hospitals in the Network as a result of insufficient interpreter staffing during this period. Submission of the Amendment to the Board was delayed due to discrepancies in the invoices which needed to be resolved with the Contractor.

 

Approval of this second Amendment contributes to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of a Healthy Community by improving access to care for people in the community with limited English proficiency. It is anticipated that 85% of all SMMC interpretation requests will be answered by HCIN interpreters and 95% of these calls will be answered within 30 seconds.

 

Performance Measures:

Measure

FY 2008-09
Actual

FY 2009-10
Projected

Percentage of all SMMC interpretation requests answered by HCIN interpreters

80%

85%

Percentage of HCIN calls answered within 30 seconds

90%

95%

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

The term of this Agreement was January 1, 2007 through June 30, 2009. The Amendment increases the maximum fiscal obligation by $55,000 to $185,000 to allow for payment of delinquent invoices. Funds are included in the SMMC FY 2009-10 Adopted Budget.

 

Expenses at SMMC are covered by fees for services or third-party payors whenever possible. The portion of expenses for services provided to the medically indigent or to those covered by programs that do not meet the full costs of care are covered by the County’s General Fund contribution to SMMC.