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 Jennifer Burkham, MD to Provide Rheumatology Services
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing an agreement with Jennifer Burkham, MD to provide rheumatology services for the term of February 1, 2026 through January 31, 2029 in an amount not to exceed $539,928.
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BACKGROUND:
Effective February 1, 2025, Dr. Burkham entered into a one-year contract with the County to provide rheumatology services. The proposed contract would continue Dr. Burkham's coverage without any change in quantity of coverage for a renewed three-year term.
DISCUSSION:
Dr. Burkham provides up to 104 four-hour blocks of outpatient rheumatology patient care per year. She rarely provides on-call coverage, but her contract provides flexibility to schedule her for up to 15 shifts per month if needed. Two hundred eight hours of supplemental clinical services time annually is also written into her contract to provide extra time for patient care and to finish documentation if her clinic time is insufficient. Dr. Burkham's previous contract compensated her at a rate of $188 per hour for clinical time and $20 per hour for on-call coverage. The rates in the proposed agreement would increase Dr. Burkham's hourly compensation to $199 per hour for clinical time and $31 per hour for on-call coverage. The proposed rates match the amounts in the County's contracts with the other contracted rheumatology specialists, Drs. Gescuk and Myneni.
The rates in the new contract are within fair market value, according to VMG Health, a nationally recognized medical services valuation firm that relies upon multiple industry-standard provider compensation surveys and aggregates that data.
The County Attorney has reviewed and approved the...
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