Title
Approve and authorize the Contracts/Purchasing Officer to sign Amendment No. 5 to Agreement No. A-11307 with Oregon Community Health Information Network, Inc. to adjust authorization requirements for Care Everywhere.
Body
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
Approve and authorize the Contracts/Purchasing Officer to sign Amendment No. 5 to Agreement No. A-11307 with Oregon Community Health Information Network, Inc. to adjust authorization requirements for Care Everywhere.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
Membership in the Oregon Community Health Information Network, Inc. (OCHIN) enables the Monterey County Health Department to utilize Epic's Practice Management (PM) and Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Systems. The Health Department's Clinic Services Bureau (Clinic Services) implemented the PM System in November 2007 which allowed Clinic Services to significantly increase charge capture and decrease the need for claim resubmissions. Clinic Services then implemented the EMR System from June to August 2010, facilitating Clinic Services' progression towards a paperless system and resulting eligibility for meaningful use financial incentives through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). In early 2012, the Health Department's Public Health Bureau also adopted the PM and EMR Systems. Significant increases in quality of documentation, consistency of care across all clinics and tracking of quality of care variables have been noted in the first year of implementation of the EMR.
One of the main objectives of using an electronic system is to improve the ability to provide continuity of care to patients; to securely share health information at local, state, and federal levels and among other OCHIN members and non-members using Epic's software. Epic's Care Everywhere is an application in Epic's PM and EMR Systems that allows for instant sharing of confidential medical records over the Internet, via secure and encrypted connections.
This Amendment No. 5 will not affect compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other security and privacy requirements. The original Agreement with OCHIN required patient authorization before records were shared through Care Everywhere, which exceeded HIPAA and other security and privacy requirements. At this time, the Health Department and OCHIN are requesting that the patient authorization requirement be removed from the original Agreement as the process has evolved and patients report feeling inconvenienced by repeated authorization requests. Patients do sign consent documents regarding their personal health information, and these documents are relevant for Care Everywhere data transfers.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel, Auditor Controller, and Contracts/Purchasing have reviewed Amendment No. 5 and concur with this recommendation. The insurance provisions remain unchanged from the current Agreement. A copy of Amendment No. 5 is on file with the Clerk of the Board.
FINANCING:
There is no cost or increase in General Fund Contribution associated with this Amendment No. 5.
Prepared by: William Li, Management Analyst, 1344
Approved by: Ray Bullick, Director of Health, 4526
Attachments:
Amendment No. 5 to Agreement No. A-11307