REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF INLAND COUNTIES EMERGENCY MEDICAL AGENCY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
February 27, 2024
FROM
DANIEL MUÑOZ, Interim EMS Administrator, Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency
SUBJECT
Title
Agreements with Premier Medical Transportation, Inc., dba PMT Ambulance and Symons Emergency Specialties, Inc., dba Symbiosis for Interfacility Transfer Transportation Services
End
RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of the Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency:
1. Approve agreements with the following providers, authorizing interfacility transfer transportation services within non-exclusive operating areas in San Bernardino County for one year, for the term of February 27, 2024 through February 26, 2025, with four, one-year extension options:
a. Premier Medical Transportation, Inc., dba PMT Ambulance
b. Symons Emergency Specialties, Inc., dba Symbiosis
2. Authorize the Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency EMS Administrator to accept and execute extension options with the providers as referenced in Recommendation No. 1.
3. Direct the Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency EMS Administrator to transmit all extension options in Recommendation No. 2 to the Secretary of the Board of Directors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Daniel Muñoz, Interim EMS Administrator, 388-5807)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). These agreements are medical control authorization agreements and not contracts for services. Premier Medical Transportation, Inc., dba PMT Ambulance (PMT) and Symons Emergency Specialties, Inc., dba Symbiosis (Symbiosis) will accept as payment for ambulance transportation, only those schedule rates to insurers and/or end users of such services as allowed by law.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency (ICEMA) is responsible for ensuring effective Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for the Counties of San Bernardino, Inyo, and Mono. ICEMA administers State and local codes and regulations governing the provision of emergency medical care to the sick and impaired at the scene of an emergency and during transport to a care facility. ICEMA also reviews provider staffing, drugs, equipment, record keeping, communications and training to assure compliance with ICEMA standards and requirements. State law requires all ambulance transport providers to be authorized by the local EMS agency under the terms of a written agreement.
A non-exclusive operating area is a designated ambulance area which is open and not exclusive to a single provider or group of providers by means of California Health & Safety Code, Division 2.5, sections 1797.224 and 1797.226, or by bid award provisions; thereby allowing for competition in the interfacility transfer (IFT) transport business by any ambulance provider properly permitted or authorized by ICEMA. Both PMT and Symbiosis approached ICEMA to request authorization to perform IFT services, which is customary procedure in obtaining the required IFT transport service authorization.
Approval of the agreements will allow PMT and Symbiosis to provide IFT transport services in all non-exclusive operating areas in San Bernardino County under the Medical Control oversight of ICEMA. PMT and Symbiosis have continually provided services in San Bernardino County and surrounding counties. The recommended agreements are effective upon execution for a term of one year, but may be renewed annually if the providers satisfy contractual obligations, along with submitting payment of applicable fees to cover the cost of routine annual ambulance inspections and administrative medical control oversight services.
This agreement does not prevent other ambulance providers from providing IFT transport services within non-exclusive operating areas in San Bernardino County. All ambulance providers approved by ICEMA may compete for ambulance transports in non-exclusive operating areas.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (John Tubbs II, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on January 3, 2024; Risk Management (Victor Tordesillas, Director, 386-8623) on January 4, 2024; Finance (Carl Lofton, Administrative Analyst, 387-5404) on January 29, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on February 9, 2024.