TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute an agreement, and any subsequent amendments, with the Los Angeles Network for Enhanced Services (LANES), to provide electronic health information data exchange, for a period of two years, with the option to renew for three additional one-year periods, with agreement from both parties. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The Los Angeles Network for Enhanced Services (LANES) has requested to enter into a participation agreement with the City of Long Beach Health and Human Services Department (Health Department) to allow for electronic health information data exchange.
LANES is a collaborative organization representing a number of stakeholders seeking to improve health care delivery in Los Angeles County (County). The LANES Health Information Exchange is organized and operated to facilitate the secure and appropriate sharing of electronic medical records and clinical data among healthcare providers and other healthcare organizations in the County. Shared data may be used for treatment, care, care management, care coordination, health care operations, population health, and data analytics. LANES will provide or arrange for data transmission and related services so that participating entities may submit, search, and exchange their patients’ medical information in a centralized computer system. LANES’ services include establishing and applying standards for such exchange of medical information, including HIPAA compliance, data aggregation, and patient matching from the master patient index.
Current practice requires Health Department clinicians to request paper copies of patients’ medical records from primary care physicians and other healthcare organizations, a process that takes several days or weeks and poses serious problems for the care and treatment of the City’s most vulnerable patients. Under this agreement, the Health Department will benefit from immediate access to clinical records from all authorized healthcare providers, within the Health Department’s current Electronic Health Record (EHR) system. This aligns with the Health Department’s objective to have a paperless EHR system. Additionally, LANES will pay the Department’s EHR vendor to develop bi-directional interfaces to the LANES Health Information Exchange.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Taylor M. Anderson on June 15, 2020 and by Revenue Management Officer Geraldine Alejo on June 24, 2020.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on July 14, 2020, to ensure the agreement is in place expeditiously.
FISCAL IMPACT
The annual participant subscription fee is $2,500. The annual subscription fee for the initial two-year period will be directly supported by LANES with funding from the County for onboard safety net clinics. As a result, no expenses will be incurred in City funds for the initial two-year period. Should the agreement extend beyond the initial period, the Health Department will identify funding and return to the City Council to request subsequent years’ appropriation through the annual budget process. This recommendation has no staffing impact beyond the normal budgeted scope of duties and is consistent with existing City Council priorities. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
KELLY COLOPY
DIRECTOR
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
APPROVED:
THOMAS B. MODICA
CITY MANAGER