Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Colleen Chawla, Chief, San Mateo County Health
Chester J. Kunnappilly, MD, Chief Executive Officer, San Mateo Medical Center
Subject: Agreement with Grace Hassid, MD to Provide Infection Control, Epidemiology, and Staff Health Services
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Adopt a resolution authorizing an agreement with Grace Hassid, MD to provide infection control, epidemiology, and staff health services for the term of May 1, 2025 through April 30, 2027, in an amount not to exceed $594,104.
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BACKGROUND:
San Mateo County is responsible for providing necessary medical care to its medically indigent population. For more than 22 years, Dr. Hassid has provided infection control services for San Mateo Medical Center (SMMC). Dr. Hassid has been a key leader in SMMC’s response and defense during the COVID-19 pandemic.
DISCUSSION:
Under this agreement, Dr. Hassid has agreed to provide a minimum of 30 hours per week of infection control services, be the on-call specialist for 337 days out of the year, serve as the Chairperson for SMMC’s Infection Control Committee, provide non-emergent health evaluations to SMMC employees and independent contractors who are injured while working or exposed to potentially infectious agents, and oversee the Infection Prevention and Control Program at SMMC. Although framed as a “minimum” coverage commitment, in practice, Dr. Hassid provides services full-time at SMMC, regularly exceeding the minimum coverage commitment.
County Administrative Memorandum B-1 provides that contracts for physicians are exempt from the Request for Proposals process.
County Attorney has reviewed and approved the resolution and agreement as to form.
The resolution contains the County’s standard provisions allowing amendment of the County fiscal obligations by a maximum of $25,000 (in aggregate).
It is anticipated that 90% of infection control consults requiring a physician consultant will be performed by Dr. Hassid.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2024-25 Estimated |
FY 2025-26 Projected |
|
Percentage of infection control consults requiring a physician consultant that are performed by Dr. Hassid |
90% |
90% |
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
Dr. Hassid’s continued infection control, epidemiology, and staff health coverage will positively impact equitable health outcomes by enhancing the safety of services provided to the community at SMMC. Demographically, within the past 18 months, the largest cohorts of specialty care patients at SMMC were female (52%), Hispanic or Latino (63%), and primarily Spanish-speaking (55%). SMMC strives to eliminate bias in the medical profession by providing culturally competent training to its physicians and by following up with patients to ensure that they continue to have access to specialized care.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of the agreement is May 1, 2025 through April 30, 2027. The amount of the agreement is not to exceed $594,104 for the two-year term. Funds in the amount of $297,052 are included in the SMMC FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget with the same amount to be included in next year’s budget.
The payment provisions are the same from the previous contract. There is no change to the level or description of services provided.
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 is covered by the County’s General Fund contribution to SMMC and is within the existing annual appropriation.