Title
a. Authorize the Deputy Purchasing Agent for Natividad Medical Center (NMC) or his designee to execute amendment No. 1 to the agreement (A-13725) with DrFirst.com Inc. (DrFirst) for the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES), which gives access to California’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), adding $18,060 for a revised total agreement amount not to exceed $267,060, with no changes to the term of the Agreement of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2020.
b. Approve the NMC Chief Executive Officer’s recommendation to accept non-standard indemnification provisions within the amendment.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended the Board of Supervisors:
a. Authorize the Deputy Purchasing Agent for Natividad Medical Center (NMC) or his designee to execute amendment No. 1 to the agreement (A-13725) with DrFirst.com Inc. (DrFirst) for the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES), which gives access to California’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), adding $18,060 for a revised total agreement amount not to exceed $267,060, with no changes to the term of the Agreement of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2020.
b. Approve the NMC Chief Executive Officer’s recommendation to accept non-standard indemnification provisions within the amendment.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
DrFirst is a software suite that provides an electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) system, which allows physicians to electronically transmit prescriptions to pharmacies. This process has decreased prescribing and medication errors and has resulted in fewer call-backs from pharmacies to physicians for clarification. Electronically sending and receiving prescriptions has streamlined the clinical practice workflow, and patient satisfaction and compliance have increased. Additionally, connecting physician and pharmacy systems has reduced paperwork and the associated mistakes that may occur from reliance on handwritten prescriptions. This change has produced time and cost savings for all parties involved.
Natividad is requesting Board approval to add an additional module to the DrFirst suite. The Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) module within DrFirst gives healthcare providers at Natividad access to California’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). This database includes Schedule II, III and IV controlled substances prescriptions dispensed. Health care practitioners authorized to prescribe, order, administer, or furnish a controlled substance are required by California law to consult the CURES database. The DrFirst Cures module facilitates this process. The CURES integration is critical because it gives clinicians real-time access to essential opioid prescription information for individual patients at the point-of-care. Prescribers can quickly check the CURES database to view their patients’ opioid prescription history, allowing them to quickly identify patients who may have substance abuse disorders and are “doctor shopping” for prescriptions of controlled substances. This amendment contains a new non-standard indemnity provision that is unique unto CURES.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel has reviewed and approved this amendment No. 1 as to legal form, and the Auditor-Controller has reviewed and approved as to payment provisions. The amendment No. 1 has also been reviewed and approved by NMC’s Finance Committee on June 27, 2019 and by NMC’s Board of Trustees Executive Committee on July 2, 2019.
FINANCING:
The cost for this amendment No. 1 is $18,060, all of which is included in the Fiscal Year 2019-20 Adopted Budget.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
This agreement facilitates access to the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. This access is a regulatory requirement and improves patient care at NMC by preventing the over prescribing of controlled substances.
__ Economic Development
__ Administration
X Health and Human Services
__ Infrastructure
__ Public Safety
Prepared by: Dr. Charles Harris, Chief Medical Information Officer, 783-2785
Approved by: Gary R. Gray, DO, Chief Executive Officer, 783-2504
Attachments:
DrFirst Amendment 1
DrFirst Agreement
Attachments on file with the Clerk of the Board