Title
a. Authorize the Chief Executive Officer for Natividad Medical Center (NMC) or his designee to execute a Program Letter of Agreement with Companeros en Salud for rotation of NMC’s physician Residents with an agreement term retroactive to August 1, 2023 through July 31, 2025.
b. Approve the NMC Chief Executive Officer’s recommendation to accept non-standard indemnification and insurance provisions within the agreement.
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 a Program Letter of Agreement with Companeros en Salud for rotation of NMC’s physician Residents with an agreement term retroactive to August 1, 2023 through July 31, 2025.
b. Approve the NMC Chief Executive Officer’s recommendation to accept non-standard indemnification and insurance provisions within the agreement.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The NMC Family Medicine Residency wishes to renew an expired agreement with Companeros en Salud (CES); a Mexico-based nonprofit organization, to provide high-quality, safe, and ethical Global Health elective rotations for family medicine residents. NMC attracts residents seeking full spectrum family medicine training to prepare them to care for underserved and rural communities as well as to work in international sites. Global Health elective rotations are a standard educational offering at the majority of family medicine residency programs in the United States. Companeros en Salud is a well-established nonprofit health organization that provides care to rural communities in the Mexican State of Chiapas. Their educational division is overseen by UCSF-affiliated pediatrician, Dr. Patrick Newman, who is well-known to NMC’s global health group.
This Global Health educational partnership will support month-long resident elective rotations in Chiapas. Residents who choose to do this elective will usually live in community with a Mexican primary care physician, partnering with them in caring for patients at home and in the clinic in the community they are responsible for. Once a month, affiliated physicians (Mexican staff and visiting physicians) gather in the CES headquarters for day-long Global Health education sessions. Residents may also assist in the hospital and birth center owned and operated by CES.
NMC’s partnership in the UCSF HEAL Global Health Fellowship also will complement this arrangement. NMC-based HEAL Global Health fellows will rotate half-time with Companeros en Salud in Chiapas. This creates synergy for the residency partnership by providing continuity with CES, and also by having the fellows available as additional on-site mentors for residents who rotate at CES.
NMC’s Family Medicine Residents care for many immigrant patients from Mexico at the Laurel Family Practice Clinic and in the hospital at NMC. Those who choose to participate in this Global Health rotation will gain valuable insights into the health care system in which their patients have received care previously and will better understand their patients’ culture and language, enhancing the care our patients receive at NMC and Laurel Family Practice. Residents’ increased confidence in and commitment to caring for this community will result in more retention of graduates as primary care providers in Monterey County. Our residents have previously rotated here and had excellent learning experiences.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Office of County Counsel has reviewed and approved this agreement as to legal form, and the Auditor-Controller has reviewed and approved as to payment provisions. The agreement has also been reviewed and approved by NMC’s Board of Trustees Executive Committee on July 14, 2023
FINANCING:
These costs are paid by the resident and/or on grants through the Natividad Foundation. NMC does not incur any costs for these rotations.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
Residents who choose to participate in this Global Health rotation will better understand their Mexican immigrant patients’ culture and language, enhancing the care our patients receive at NMC and Laurel Family Practice. Offering a well-supported Global Health experience in Mexico for our residents allows NMC to attract and select the most highly qualified residency applicants, particularly those who are committed to NMC’s mission and to addressing health disparities for our patient population. Successfully recruiting residents who are committed to our mission and providing training to help them better care for their patients in the Salinas Valley will result in better retention of our graduates in Monterey County.
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Prepared by: Dr. Melissa Nothnagle, Director Family Medicine Residency, 783-2582
Approved by: Charles R. Harris, Chief Executive Officer, 783-2553
Attachments:
Program Letter of Agreement with Companeros en Salud
Attachments on file with the Clerk of the Board