HomeMy WebLinkAboutHartson Medical Services - 1995CITY OF NATIONAL CITY AMBULANCE SERVICES CONTRACT
STATUS REPORT
NOVEMBER 15, 1995
BACKGROUND:
The City's ambulance services contract with Hartson Medical
Services will expire on October 1, 1996. To ensure the continued
delivery of these services, the City must either begin the request
for proposal process or enter into negotiations with Hartson to
extend the current contract.
Hartson, at no cost to the City, has been providing basic and
advanced (paramedic) life support ambulance services to the City
since October 1, 1983.
The health care industry is currently undergoing major changes in
the way that medical services are delivered. These changes are
impacting all facets of the medical care delivery system including
"Pre -Hospital Care", which directly involves the City through the
Fire Department's First Responder Program and indirectly through
the City's ambulance subcontractor, Hartson Medical Services.
In order to ensure that quality ambulance services continue to be
provided as economically and efficiently as possible, a
reassessment of the City's pre -hospital medical care delivery
system must be completed taking into consideration the various
issues that are currently impacting pre -hospital health care. Some
of these issues are:
- Establishment of health service areas
- Compliance with State and local regulations
- Coordination with health care providers
Coordination with third party payors
- Public safety provider reimbursements
- Coordination with private ambulance services
- Potential for private/public partnerships
providers
Several Cities and Special Districts in the County will soon be
addressing this problem of how best to deliver these services in
the current health care environment. An advantage can be gained by
studying the approaches that will be taken by these Emergency
Medical Service Areas (EMSA's) in the next 24 - 36 month period.
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REGIONAL SYSTEM DESIGNS:
The City of San Diego is one of the Emergency Medical Service Areas
that will soon begin to respond to the issue of pre -hospital care
in a managed care environment. The San Diego EMSA is not only the
largest area in the County, but as our neighbor, also has the
greatest potential to influence the design of the National City
system. Aside from the obvious difference in size between the two
service areas, there are basic service requirements that are
similar. The City of San Diego is planning to study, design,
competitively bid and implement a new pre -hospital medical care
delivery system by July 1, 1997. To accomplish this task they plan
to hire a consultant at a fee of approximately $100,000 to conduct
a comprehensive study of the City's pre -hospital medical care
delivery system needs considering many of the issues described
above. As a result of this study, a recommendation on system
design will be presented followed by a request for proposal process
and award of a service contract. The delivery system that will
evolve from this process is expected to more clearly address, from
a regional perspective, the impact that managed care will have on
pre -hospital medical care system design.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Negotiate with Hartson Medical Services and obtain a three (3) year
extension to the current ambulance services contract beginning
October 1, 1996.
JUSTIFICATION:
This extension will allow staff to study not only the City of San
Diego's new delivery system, but others as well. Reviewing the
results of the San Diego system will ensure that National City's
system operates not only efficiently, but in concert with
neighboring systems, while obtaining a clearer assessment of the
impacts that managed care will have on the delivery of pre -hospital
care services.
The San Diego County Emergency Medical Services Authority has been
consulted and concurs with the observations and conclusions
described in this report.
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City of National City, California
COUNCIL AGENDA STATEMENT
12/05/95
10
MEETING DATE AGENDA ITEM NO.
I. ITEM TITLE AMBULANCE SERVICES CONTRACT
PREPARED BY Randy Kimble,
Fire Chief
EXPLANATION
See attached report.
DEPARTMENT
Fire
Environmental Review X N/A
Financial Statement
No impact. Ambulance services are subcontracted to a private provider
(Hartson Medical Services) with no City revenue subsidy.
Account No.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Direct staff to begin negotiations with artson Medical Services to
extend the current ambulance services with
fot a three (3) year
period beginning October 1, 1996.
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
N/A
ATTACHMENTS (Listed Below) Resolution No
City of National City Ambulance. Services Contract Status Report
A-200 (Rev. 9/80)