REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
July 27, 2021
FROM
WILLIAM L. GILBERT, Director, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center
SUBJECT
Title
Agreement with RQI Partners, LLC for Resuscitation Quality Improvement Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Agreement with RQI Partners, LLC, to provide resuscitation training, in the amount of $111,345 for the period of July 27, 2021 through July 26, 2025.
(Presenter: William L. Gilbert, Director, 580-6150)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of the recommended agreement will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost) as the cost of $111,345 is funded by State Medi-Cal, Federal Medicare, private insurances, and other departmental revenue. Funding sources may change in the future pending any legislative activity related to the repeal and/or replacement of the Affordable Care Act. Sufficient appropriation and revenue are included in the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC) 2021-22 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The agreement with RQI Partners, LLC (RQI) will allow ARMC to purchase virtual resuscitation trainings approved by the American Heart Association (AHA). Due to the impacts of COVID, in-person trainings were canceled and there became an urgent need for remote education. The contract includes Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and Pediatric Advanced Life Support trainings. Combined, these products will allow for the delivery of training needed for a four-year resuscitation license (initial and renewal) without the need for in-person training or group classes. This will reduce the burden on ARMC’s conference rooms, permit for the training of more staff annually, and allow for higher quality training through the use of advanced manikins and software.
Approved virtual resuscitation training programs provide both physicians and nursing staff with resuscitation training needed to meet work requirements and keep healthcare workers trained and up to date with various life saving techniques. This product will be a benefit to both the hospital and the County by reducing the time it takes to schedule staff training and improving the skills needed for quality resuscitation, resulting in improved health outcomes hospital wide.
The agreement with RQI is RQI’s standard Master Services Agreement, negotiated by the parties, with the following non-standard County term:
Indemnification
The County is required to indemnify RQI from any claims that result from the negligent acts or omissions of the County.
• The County standard contract does not contractually require the County to defend or indemnify the vendor under any circumstances.
• Potential Impact: By agreeing to indemnify RQI, the County could be contractually waiving the protection of sovereign immunity. Claims that may otherwise be barred against the County, time limited, or expense limited could be brought against RQI without such limitations and the County would be responsible to defend and reimburse RQI for costs, expenses, and damages, which could exceed the total contract amount.
PROCUREMENT
County Purchasing supports this non-competitive procurement as RQI is a sole source provider. Currently, ARMC’s policy requires resuscitation training that meets AHA guidelines. RQI is the only provider approved by AHA that meets the criteria to provide the training specifically needed for ARMC’s Resuscitation Quality Improvement Program.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Charles Phan, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5465) on June 30, 2021; Purchasing Department (Ariel Gill, Buyer III, 777-0722) on July 8; ARMC Finance (Yael Verduzco, Administrative Analyst, 387-5285) on July 8, 2021; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on July 12, 2021.