HomeMy WebLinkAboutValley Children's Hospital-Remote Access to CareLink Electronic Medical Records_A-20-141.pdfCounty of Fresno
Board of Supervisors
Minute Order
Hall of Records, Room 301
2281 Tulare Street
Fresno, California
93721-2198
Telephone: (559) 600-3529
Toll Free: 1-800-742-1011
www.co.fresno.ca.us
April 14, 2020
Present:Chairman Buddy Mendes, Vice Chairman Steve Brandau, Supervisor Nathan Magsig,
Supervisor Brian Pacheco, and Supervisor Sal Quintero
5 -
Agenda No. 27.Public Health File ID: 20-0234
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with Valley Children’s Hospital for
designated Department of Public Health employees to access Valley Children’s Hospital’s Electronic
Medical Records, effective April 14, 2020 through June 30, 2022 followed with unlimited one-year
auto-renewals unless terminated by either party ($0); and approve and authorize the Director of the
Department of Public Health, or designee, and the Department employees identified as having a need
to remotely access Valley Children’s Hospital’s Electronic Medical Records, to execute the CareLink
Agreement for Access to Protected Health Information
Re:
APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED
Ayes:Mendes, Brandau, Magsig, Pacheco, and Quintero5 -
Agreement No. 20-141
Page 28County of Fresno
Board Agenda Item 27
DATE:April 14, 2020
TO:Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY:David Pomaville, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT:Agreement with Valley Children’s Hospital
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
1.Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with Valley Children’s
Hospital for designated Department of Public Health employees to access Valley Children’s
Hospital’s Electronic Medical Records, effective April 14, 2020 through June 30, 2022
followed with unlimited one-year auto-renewals unless terminated by either party ($0).
2.Approve and authorize the Director of the Department of Public Health, or designee, and
the Department employees identified as having a need to remotely access Valley Children’s
Hospital’s Electronic Medical Records, to execute the CareLink Agreement for Access to
Protected Health Information.
Approval of the recommended actions will continue to authorize Department of Public Health’s identified staff
access to Valley Children’s Hospital’s (VCH) Electronic Medical Records through a web-based portal at no
cost to the County. Electronic access to VCH clients’ medical records will benefit multiple programs
throughout the Department. The second recommended action will authorize the Director of the Department
of Public Health and identified specific employees to enter into CareLink Agreement for Access to Protected
Health Information (Remote Access Agreement) with VCH for access to the Electronic Medical Records
(EMRs). There is no money associated with the recommended agreement. This item is countrywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If your Board does not approve the recommended actions, the Department would revert to requesting
medical record documentation via US Mail and/or fax; which often results in multiple and/or follow-up phone
calls to request additional information and delays delivery of services.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. VCH will allow access
to the EMRs to an unlimited number of identified Department staff at no cost to the County upon execution of
the Remote Access Agreement. The system is accessed remotely through the internet and does not require
any County staff time to coordinate or maintain the secure internet connection.
DISCUSSION:
On June 18, 2019, the Board approved Agreement No. 19-0249 with Valley Children’s Hospital allowing
access to EMRs through June 30, 2020 with unlimited one-year renewals unless terminated by either party.
The fully executed agreement also established VCH as the sole authority to grant or provide access of their
Page 1 County of Fresno File Number: 20-0234
File Number: 20-0234
EMRs to non-VCH employees. The EMRs are the only documentation needed to support Department
processes related but not limited to, medical eligibility, health assessments, disease and outbreak
investigation, treatment, surveillance and epidemiological studies.
On February 03, 2020, the Department received a notification that VCH will be replacing their existing EMR
system with a new EMR platform, CareLink. All VCH’s medical records including lab results, diagnostic test
results, hospitalization records, procedural information, discharge instructions, progress notes, medications,
allergies, medical history and more, will be migrated into the new CareLink. VCH will be launching the new
EMR system on April 25, 2020.
The recommended agreement deviates from the County’s standard contract language by including a
two-year term with unlimited one year auto renewal, mutual hold harmless, insurance and termination
language, and non-standard Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) language that
represents both the County and VCH as covered entities.
The Department is requesting the recommended agreement continue to be executed as “evergreen” or
unlimited one-year renewals unless terminated by either party. Direct access to VCH’s EMRs has been an
invaluable tool for the Department’s programs. Continued remote access to EMRs will provide the accurate,
uninterrupted and complete medical information necessary to perform the required functions for the
Department’s programs in a safe HIPAA compliant, efficient and timely manner.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #49, June 18, 2019
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Agreement with Valley Children’s Hospital
CAO ANALYST:
Raul Guerra
Page 2 County of Fresno File Number: 20-0234
Agreement No. 20-141
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year
2 first hereinabove written .
3 CONTRACTOR:
4 Valley Children's Hospital
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6
Danielle Barry
7 (Authorized Signature)
COUNTY OF FRESNO:
~.:t-~~
Ernest Bud dyMendes,hairman of the Board of
Supervisors of the County of Fresno
8
9
10
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Danielle Barry, Vice President Revenue Cycle Management
Print Name & Title
(Chairman of the Board , or President or Vice
President)
12 /"\
13
14 (Au
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Print Name & Tille
(Corporation, or any Assistant Secretary , or Ch ief
Financial Officer, or any Assistant Treasurer)
Mailing Address :
ATTN : Vice President
Revenue Cycle Management
9300 Valley Children 's Place
Madera, CA 93636
FOR ACCOUNTING USE ONLY :
26 ORG No.: 5620
Fund : 0001
27 Subclass : 10000
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ATTEST:
Bernice E. Seidel
Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
County of Fresno, State of Cal ifornia
By :
De pu ty