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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05101988 - S.4 5.4 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUN'T'Y, CALIFORNIA DATE: May 10, 1988 MATTER OF RECORD SUBJECT: Consolidation of Regional Hospitals and the County Hospital The Board considered the proposal of Supervisors Power to investigate the feasibility of consolidating the Merrithew, Brookside and Los Medanos hospitals under one county or regional health authority. The following persons spoke in favor of the proposal: Doris Copperman, Health Access, 3 Penuth Walk, Pleasant Hill; Art Schroeder, 706 Sea View Drive, El Cerrito; Paul Katz, Contra Costa Employees Association, P. O. Box 228, Martinez; Henry Clarke, Contra Costa Employees Association, Local 1; Julie Browne, Health Access of Contra Costa County, 2535 Regent Street, Suite 15 , Berkeley; Ahmadia Thomas, Rainbow Coalition and Gray Panthers, 65,8 - 22nd Street, Richmond; Karl A. Grossenbacher, Health Access of Contra Costa County and the Gray Panthers of West Contra Costa County, 2707 Lincoln Avenue, Richmond; Mary Anna McKinley, 849 34th Street, Richmond; Maryann O' Sullivan, Health Access, 1535 Mission. Street, San Francisco. John Friel, Brookside Hospital, 2000 Vale Road, San Pablo, and Bob Maestraetto, Los Medanos Community Hospital, 2311 Loveridge Road, Pittsburg, expressed reservations with the proposal. M. Brown, 432 Clarence Street, Richmond, commented on the need to have wide representation on the review board to study Supervisor Powers ' proposal. Don Christian, Executive Director, Contra Costa Taxpayers ' Association, commended Supervisor Powers for bringing this proposal to the attention of the Board for study. Board members discussed the proposal. Supervisor McPeak commented on the need to explore the whole range of working relationships in the health care system and of possible ways to work together. The Board then referred this matter to the Health Services Director as set forth on the attached Order. This is a matter for record purposes only. TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra FRO M% Supervisor Tom Powers Costa DATE: May 3, 1988 County SUBJECT: Consolidation of Regional Hospitals and the County Hospital SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION($) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION: I suggest that we undertake a public investigation of the proposi- tion to consolidate the Merrithew, Brookside and Los Medanos Hospitals under one county or regional health authority. This investigation can be undertaken by existing public officials as a review board with the assistance of technical and administrative staff from all of the insti- tutions. I would suggest that at least two members from each of the district hospitals and the Board of Supervisors along with one member from Solano's Board, a member of the California Legislature, a member of the Tax Payers Association, a member of the County Grand Jury, a member of the Public Employees Association, the AFL/CIO Union, a public member at large, and a member of Health Access. Also, a technical committee composed of medical staff members and administrative chiefs should be . developed to provide staff assistance. The purpose of the investigation is to determine whether it is financially feasible, and warranted to consolidate district and county resources in a county wide or regional health authority. This authority would undertake the responsibility of delivering care through existing or augmented facilities throughout the three regions of Contra Costa County. Appropriate satellites in other areas should also be considered. The authority would be directed by a centralized administrative authority created by the various institutions including the hospital districts themselves, the county's medical program, and the Contra Costa Health Plan. After a period of review to determine whether a centralized authority is financially, medically, or publicly acceptable, it would be submitted for review to the public through public hearings and possibly an election. The intention of the central authority would be to stop the drain of medical services in the district hospitals, provide a centralized administration with greater economies of scale, continue to provide a broad level of medical services throughout the county or region, and save in operational costs by combining individual operations. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENTS YES SIGNATUREo RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S) ACTION OF BOARD ON May 1.0:, 19 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER Y The Board referred the proposed coordination and/or consolidation of Merrithew, Brookside, and Los Medanos hospitals to the Health Services Director was was requested to meet with representatives of the hospitals to determine the feasibility of establishing a broad based review board (including its membership) to study this proposal as well as alternatives/options for improved health care delivery in Contra Costa County. The VOTE OF SUPERVISORS Health Services Director is requested to report to the Board as soon as possible. UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AYESs NOESs AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN ABSENTS ABSTAIN: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. r May 10, 1988 cc' Health Services Director ATTESTED Supervisor Powers Phil Batchelor, Clerk of the Board County Administrator of Supervisors and County Adidnistrat MSUR17.95 BY DEPUTY The consolidation plan would encourage greater utilization of existing facilities in East and West County and forestall the need for a new, large hospital on the Martinez campus of Merrithew Hospital . Development of other facilities in Martinez such as a geriatric or long term skilled nursing facility may become possible. In addition, financial strength could be developed by the Contra Costa County Health Plan by improving service and availability to the marketplace. We would probably be able to expand our current University of California, Davis, affiliation to the other institutions. BACKGROUND: Contra Costa, and perhaps Solano County, should undertake a study for a regional approach to administering hospital services. It is clear that the practice of delivering medical care in public hospitals has raised major public policy questions about the continuation of health care services to an ever larger part of our population. However, if several institutions are consolidated under a common administration, greater savings are possible and a better opportunity exists for a continued health care delivery system which provides quality care to anyone who needs it. Recently, we have seen that services have been reduced and administrative problems have been encountered in at least two of our county public hospitals. In addition, Solano County has entered into a relationship with Contra Costa County to provide obstetric service. The practice of public medicine under current government financial conditions will continue to deteriorate unless we make changes on the state and federal level as well as react to the pressures to revise, streamline, and consolidate our local resources. If we do not take an aggressive step to address locally our own health care problems, we will continue to see closures of services such as those which have occurred recently in some areas. In addition, this measure would provide the public with the confidence that officials are addressing the problems by using available health care institutions while working towards reforms on the state and federal levels.