Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: 4/5 Vote
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Louise F. Rogers, Chief, San Mateo County Health
Travis Kusman, Director, Emergency Medical Services
Subject: Appropriation Transfer Request for Expansion of the Health Information Exchange (HIE) Project
RECOMMENDATION:
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Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request (ATR) to increase the Emergency Medical Services Agency, 5600B, budget by $1,350,000 and related transfer of funds to the Health Information Technology unit budget by $1,300,000 for FY 2019-20 to expand the Health Information Exchange.
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BACKGROUND:
The State California Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) made grant funding available for the local development and implementation of secure data sharing between emergency medical services field providers and designated 9-1-1 receiving hospitals via Health Information Exchange (HIE) systems. San Mateo County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responded and was selected through a competitive process to receive grant funds.
On November 12, 2019 the Board authorized an agreement between EMSA and EMS to accept $1,500,000 in grant funding to develop a locally based HIE among participating 9-1-1 system care providers and hospitals, known as +EMS SAFR.
DISCUSSION:
The EMS Agency will lead a collaborative effort with Health Information Technology (HIT) division on development and implementation of +EMS SAFR. This ATR increases the EMS budget to account for acceptance of grant funds and allows EMS and HIT to apply grant funds towards +EMS SAFR project administration and deliverables.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ATR does the following: 1) increases the total 5600B budget by $1,350,000 for FY 2019-20 Adopted Budget; and 2) increases the 5560B budget by $1,300,000 in the FY 2019-20 Adopted Budget. Funding of $50,000 is retained in EMS for project management. Funding in Health IT will be used for additional staffing and contract expenses related to the expansion work needed for the project. The total amount of the State grant is $1,500,000. The balance of the unspent grant funds will be included in the FY 2020-21 Recommended Budget. This agreement is 100% funded by EMSA +EMS SAFR grant funds, with no associated Net County Cost.