Title
Body
MEMORANDUM
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: Denise Pomeroy, Health Services Director
DATE: January 24, 2017
SUBJECT: Rescind the "Interim Inter-Facility Transfer Operating Procedures for Lake County Ground Ambulance Providers". Due to changes which occurred in 2016, the interim procedure presently serves no useful purpose and will be of no assistance in the future.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
On February 4, 2014, the Lake County Board of Supervisors approved the "Interim Inter-Facility Transfer Operating Procedures for Lake County Ground Ambulance Providers."
This document was developed by Lake County Health Services Department through a collaborative process with the local hospitals, ambulance providers and the transfer center that was utilized by both hospitals at that time.
Though not enforceable or binding, the document was put forth to facilitate operational coordination among the stakeholders, and Lake County Health Services Department facilitated the development of the procedure. Under the current ambulance ordinance, the county does not have regulatory authority over ambulances that perform inter-facility transfers between health facilities.
Although not fully implemented in all respects, this document has provided a point-of-reference since its approval.
Starting in mid-2016, some organizational changes rendered this interim operating procedure much less relevant. In particular, one local hospital exercised its option to arrange for a separate inter-facility transfer center and private inter-facility ambulance provider.
More recently, the Lake County Fire Chief's Association developed a new "Standard Operating Procedure" (attached) that takes into account the current inter-facility ambulance structural arrangements as they apply to both local hospitals. This document was discussed at the December 21, 2016 meeting of the Emergency Medical Care Committee. Although the procedure may require further discussion among the stakeholders, there ...
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