Title
a. Authorize the Chief Executive Officer for Natividad Medical Center (NMC) or his designee to execute amendment No. 4 to the agreement (A-14432) with Freedom Medical Transportation for non-emergency medical transportation services, adding $100,000 for a revised total agreement amount not to exceed $250,000 with no changes to the scope of services or term of Agreement (May 24, 2016 through May 23, 2024); and
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended the Board of Supervisors:
a. Authorize the Chief Executive Officer for Natividad Medical Center (NMC) or his designee to execute amendment No. 4 to the agreement (A-14432) with Freedom Medical Transportation for non-emergency medical transportation services, adding $100,000 for a revised total agreement amount not to exceed $250,000 with no changes to the scope of services or term of Agreement (May 24, 2016 through May 23, 2024); and
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
Freedom Medical Transportation (Freedom Medical) is able to provide non-emergency medical transportation, via wheelchair or gurney, to NMC Hospital patients who require this service and for whom this mode of transportation is appropriate. Primary use of this service is to transfer patients to other facilities including but not limited to Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF), other Acute Rehab Units (ARU), or patient’s residence. The availability of non-emergency medical transportation to Natividad will not only ensure that patients are discharged safely and appropriately but will also prevent unnecessary extended hospital stays. Freedom Medical provides non-emergency (non-BLS) gurney and wheelchair transportation that is not covered by Medicare or other payors. It should be noted that American Medical Response, or AMR, has an exclusive ambulance agreement with the County for emergency and non-emergency medical transport. Because of the exclusivity, NMC would always call AMR for all transport, however, NMC has learned over the past few years through trial and error that AMR’s agreement does not necessarily cover gurney-only or wheelchair-only transportation. Because AMR was not always able to respond to non-medical gurney or wheelchair transport requests, NMC would have to call Freedom Medical as a back-up option. After communication with both the County EMS department and County Counsel’s office about setting up an agreement with Freedom Medical for this type of transport specifically, NMC is now requesting approval to renew the agreement with Freedom for non-medical gurney-only or wheelchair-only transportation. This agreement has a retroactive start date to accommodate several outstanding invoices for services based on an increase in patient volume, that have accumulated in the past few years when AMR was unable to respond to calls for this type of transport.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Office of County Counsel has reviewed and approved this amendment No. 4 as to form, and the Auditor-Controller has reviewed and approved as to payment provisions. The amendment No. 4 has also been reviewed and approved by NMC’s Finance Committee and by its Board of Trustees on June 9, 2023.
FINANCING:
The cost for this amendment No. 4 is $100,000 of which $5,468 is included in the FY 2022-23 Adopted Budget. Amounts for remaining years of the agreement will be included in those budgets as appropriate.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
The services rendered in this agreement provide NMC with the additional support it needs to be able to provide reliable and quality patient care which improves the health and quality of life for patients and their families.
__ Economic Development
__ Administration
X Health and Human Services
__ Infrastructure
__ Public Safety
Prepared by: Theresa Howard, Interim Case Management Director, 772-7497
Approved by: Charles R. Harris, Chief Executive Officer, 783-2553
Attachments:
Freedom Medical Transportation Amendment 4
Freedom Medical Transportation Amendment 3
Freedom Medical Transportation Amendment 2
Freedom Medical Transportation Amendment 1
Freedom Medical Transportation Agreement
Attachments on file with the Clerk of the Board