To: Board of Supervisors
From: Lewis Broschard, Chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District
Report Title: AMR Contract Amendment - Nurse Navigation
?Recommendation of the County Administrator ? Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Acting and the governing board of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief, or designee, to execute a contract amendment with American Medical Response West (AMR), increasing the payment limit by $21,000,000 to a new payment limit of $435,000,000 and update the current Service Plan to include Nurse Navigation services to the District for the period February 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025.
FISCAL IMPACT:
100% CCCFPD EMS Transport Fund
BACKGROUND:
AMR is the current sub-contractor for emergency ambulance services under its contract with the District. On October 2023, the Board approved significant ambulance unit hour rate increases to AMR as a result of increased labor costs in 2024-2025. While the current revenues received by the District from EMS medical reimbursements cover these costs, the increased costs do require the payment limits in the contract to be increased.
In addition, the District seeks to update the current Service Plan to include Nurse Navigation services in conjunction with its 911 emergency medical services system. More than 20 nurse navigation programs have been implemented across the country in coordination with 911 emergency dispatch centers to free up emergency responders for the most severe cases.
When clinically appropriate, the nurse navigation program aims to match a low-acuity 911 caller to the right level of care based on the caller's reported medical needs. The nurse navigation utilizes nurses' and physicians' approved protocols to guide callers to the right level of care.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If the payment limit is not increased, there is the potential for total contract costs to exceed the current payment limit...
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