REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF INLAND COUNTIES EMERGENCY MEDICAL AGENCY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 28, 2022
FROM
DANIEL MUNOZ, Interim EMS Administrator, Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency
SUBJECT
Title
Contract with Hospital Association of Southern California for ReddiNet System
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of the Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency, approve new contract with the Hospital Association of Southern California for continued use of the ReddiNet system and related maintenance and support services, in the amount of $106,012, for the period of July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025.
(Presenter: Daniel Munoz, 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.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The total expenditures over this contract period will not exceed $106,012 and are funded through the California Department of Public Health Hospital Preparedness Program grant. Sufficient appropriation and revenue have been included in the Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency’s (ICEMA) 2022-23 Recommended Budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
ICEMA, as the local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agency, is responsible for ensuring effective 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 injured at the scene of an emergency and during transport to a care hospital.
On September 28, 2010 (Item No. 73), the ICEMA Board of Directors approved Contract No. 10-933 with Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC) relating to the purchase of ReddiNet software and related maintenance and support services, in the amount of $10,000 and annual fee of $3,525.
The ReddiNet computerized communications network provides an emergency communications link with hospitals and skilled nursing facilities within San Bernardino County. Following the Northridge earthquake in 1994, ICEMA, area hospitals and the Board of Supervisors determined the need for an emergency communications system between these entities and the County Office of Emergency Services. A microwave system was established for all participants and an internet system was also subsequently installed to provide redundancy. In 2010, the microwave system bandwidth had reached its limits and the ReddiNet agreement upgraded its service to a new state of the art satellite system that eliminated microwave vulnerabilities.
The ReddiNet system provides:
• Critical data and communications for daily operations and disasters.
• Emergency Medical Communications by connecting hospitals, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers (both public and private) within regional healthcare systems. ReddiNet optimizes timely, accurate communication and coordination.
• Real time hospital status, regional and inter-regional data and available resources.
• Mass Casualty Incident Management by allowing for data input on patient capacity, victim identification, and dispatch information in order to distribute patients to appropriate hospitals.
• Disaster Management by serving as a communication resource for a command and control center for managing emergency transport, treatment locations, resource allocation and victim identification.
• Assessment Polls: Allow capability for obtaining information on hospital staffing, bed availability, bed census, damage assessment, and influenza like illness tracing.
• Requesting resources and tracking of requests.
The need for continued and enhanced communications was demonstrated throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The ReddiNet system was adapted for the resource requesting process to order and track personnel protective equipment, medical equipment and additional staffing for hospitals and other healthcare facilities as needed.
The contract with HASC includes non-standard contract terms that differ from the standard County contract including, but not limited to, the following:
Insurance: The contract does not require HASC to meet all the County’s insurance standards as required pursuant to County Policy 11-07.
• The County standard contract requires the Contractor to carry the insurance specifications as stated in County Policy 11-07SP.
• Potential Impact: This contract excludes ICEMA and/or the County from being named an additional endorsement on HASC’s General Liability policy, and limits the scope of coverage for ICEMA and/or the County to vicarious liability on the HASC policies that do have the additional insured endorsements.
ICEMA recommends approval of the contract, including the non-standard terms, as HASC is the sole source for the software and services and is necessary for emergency communications systems.
The hospitals in San Bernardino, Inyo and Mono Counties contract with HASC for the satellite system with costs paid for by the individual hospitals.
Approval of the item will allow ICEMA to continue use of the ReddiNet system and related maintenance and support services, for the period of July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (John Tubbs II, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on June 6, 2022; Risk Management (Victor Tordesillas, Director, 386-8623) on November 5, 2021; Finance (Carl Lofton, Administrative Analyst, 387-5404) on June 10, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-4342) on June 13, 2022.