DATE: June 20, 2017
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: David Pomaville, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT: Saint Agnes Medical Center, CHE Trinity Health Confidentiality and Network Access Agreement
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Director of the Department of Public Health, or designee, and Department employees identified as having a need to access the Saint Agnes Medical Center Network to execute the Saint Agnes Medical Center, CHE Trinity Health Confidentiality and Network Access Agreement, for electronic medical records access for public health activities and treatment coordination, effective June 20, 2017 with no specified termination date ($0).
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will authorize the execution of a network access agreement for each Department of Public Health employee that requires access to medical records to conduct public health activities (e.g., communicable disease investigation) and treatment coordination for services provided by the Department. Currently, an estimated 25 Department employees in the Community Health and Public Health Nursing divisions require access to the electronic medical records. There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board not approve the recommended action, Department staff will continue to request and receive medical record information via mail and/or fax. The process often results in multiple phone calls to request information and is neither timely nor efficient.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action or monetary compensation associated with the access to information.
DISCUSSION:
Department staff performs California Department of Public Health and Department of Health Care Services mandated functions that require knowledge of and/or health care records from various providers including Saint Agnes Medical Center, CHE Trinity Health (SAMC). Typically, medical record information has been provided through fax or mail sent directly to the Department. Upon receipt of the records, staff determines if enough information was received to satisfy program needs. If the information provided is incomplete or insufficient, additional communications occur and records are again requested and received via fax or mail, expending additional staff resources to request and receive the required information at both the County and SAMC.
Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR), section 2500 requires health care providers and laboratories to report conditions of public health interest and notifiable conditions to local health departments, a function administered under the Department’s Community Health (CH) Division. Department programs have multiple mandated responsibilities that pertain to communicable diseases that are contained in Health and Safety Code, sections 120175-120575, 120500-120605, and 121350-121460. These services pertain to public health laboratory services, sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, and other emerging infectious diseases.
The Department’s Public Health Nursing (PHN) Division, under Title 17, CCR, section 1253, provides education and nursing services for at-risk populations and other field nursing services to the general population.
Under the terms of the recommended agreement the County is required to:
• Ensure employees are instructed in protecting patient information and in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy and Security requirements. HIPAA training is currently provided upon hire and annually thereafter to CH and PHN staff;
• Ensure employees are aware that violations of confidentiality will result in loss of access to SAMC’s electronic medical record system; and,
• Report employment status or job reassignment changes within 5 business days to SAMC
With your Board’s approval, approximately 25 Department employees will be able to access SAMC’s medical record information electronically expediting the required information gathering process.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - SAMC, CHE Trinity Confidentiality and Network Access Agreement
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia De La Rosa