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HEALTH SERVICES AGENCY - Executive Director Jayme Bottke
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Requested Action(s)
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a) AGREEMENT - Request approval and authorization for the Executive Director to sign the agreement with Patagonia Health Inc. for the provision of electronic health record software licenses, maintenance, implementation (including on-site support), and training. The maximum compensation is not to exceed $209,373.89, effective 3/5/24 and shall terminate 3/4/29
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Financial Impact:
The cost of the agreement is included in the requested annual budget for budget unit 40121. The initial start-up costs and licenses are funded through the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) - Epidemiology and Laboratory Enhanced Detection Expansion Program.
Background Information:
The Tehama County Health Services Agency (TCHSA) - Public Health Center has a need to implement an electronic medical record. Implementing an electronic medical record will create efficiency by allowing staff the ability to access client information electronically from any TCHSA site. Furthermore, implementing the software will allow Public Health to:
• better document nursing care
• establish 3rd party billing.
• create efficiency in workflow and documentation.
• allow better communication between nursing staff and the County Health Officer regarding patient care.
• establish telehealth for directly observed therapy (for Tuberculosis patients) and California Children’s Service (CCS) clients.
• create and accept electronic referrals.
• electronically process prescriptions and labs.
• electronically create case management documentation.
• allow clients to make appointments online.
• manage vaccine inventory more efficiently.
• increase the capacity for reporting.
All of this is critical as Public Health moves towards accreditation in helping to ensure the Center meets State and Federal standards.
The selection process included the following:
• TCHSA compiled a list of the necessary criteria to meet the needs for Public Health.
• established the budget based on available funding.
• examined the marketplace to find the top electronic health record software products used by public health departments. This yielded four software packages to review.
• worked with each of the 4 software vendors to demonstrate the capabilities of the products in relationship to the established criteria. See the attached grid.
• Based on the results of the product review selected the software that best met the criteria and established budget.
The review of the products (Patagonia, Champ, Netsmart, and CureMD) revealed that Patagonia and Champ were more tailored to Public Health needs; of these two packages Patagonia is currently used by more than 250 agencies including 8 California counties and met all but one feature on the established category list. Additionally, the software was more user friendly and there was greater efficiency in the design that allows staff to access all components of the software from one central screen. Patagonia demonstrated features that are critical for a California based Public Health department that Champ did not, including:
• ability to have multiple staff in patient records simultaneously.
• confidential messaging capabilities
• the capability to drag and drop to auto upload information into patient records.
• immunization barcode scanning included in the software.
• a pharmacy application to track and dispense inventory by funding source, enter medication inventory into the solution by location then dispense to the patient, maintaining accurate, real-time inventory.
• health education messaging that can go out along with appointment reminders and can store targeted health education marketing materials.
• health data information exchange certification (ONC Promoting Interoperability)
• HL7 Standard Capable to meet the security needs for health data information exchange.
• case management features such as - encounter notes for family planning for low-income individuals (Family PACT), animal bite treatment, and California Children’s services (CCS)
• the ability as a dependent CCS county to allow the offsite physician to easily access, review and approve client documentation through telehealth creating efficiency and better securing protected health information (PHI).
If this agreement is not approved, Public Health would be unable to purchase the Electronic Health Record which would keep the center from creating greater efficiencies in daily operations.