REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
January 11, 2022
FROM
WILLIAM GILBERT, Director, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center
SUBJECT
Title
Memorandum of Understanding with California Department of Justice for Continued Access to the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve a Memorandum of Understanding with California Department of Justice, California Justice Information Services Division, Justice Data and Investigative Services Bureau, for access to the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System Information Exchange Web Services, in an annual amount not to exceed $25,000, for the contract term beginning April 12, 2022 through June 30, 2024.
2. Delegate authority to the EPIC Systems Manager and Departmental Information Systems Administrator to execute the Confidentiality and Security Compliance Statement and any subsequent amendments, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Direct the EPIC Systems Manager and Departmental Information Systems Administrator to transmit copies of the Confidentiality and Security Compliance Statement and any subsequent amendments to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: William L. Gilbert, Director, 580-6150)
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 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The annual not to exceed amount of $25,000 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 Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) is a database containing information about Schedule II, III, and IV controlled substance prescriptions dispensed to patients, as reported by the dispensing pharmacy, clinic or other dispenser pursuant to Health and Safety Code section 11165(d). The CURES Program grants authorized health care practitioners and pharmacists access to query the CURES database to assist them in their efforts to ensure appropriate prescribing, ordering, administering, furnishing, and dispensing of controlled substances. This MOU will allow ARMC to integrate CURES with the EPIC Electronic Health Records system.
On December 8, 2020 (Item No. 9) the Board of Supervisors approved a previous MOU with the California Department of Justice (DOJ) effective through June 30, 2022. However, on January 5, 2022, ARMC was notified by DOJ that a new fully executed MOU with effective dates of April 12, 2022 through June 30, 2024 is required to be in place no later than January 14, 2022 or access to the CURES database would be terminated.
ARMC recommends approval of this item as this will improve County government operations and provide for the safety, health, and social service needs of county residents by providing the ability to quickly access all patient prescription records of controlled substances across the Country.
PROCUREMENT
Not Applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Bonnie Uphold, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on January 6, 2022; ARMC Finance (Chen Wu, Budget and Finance Officer, 580-3165) on January 7, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Diana Atkeson, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on January 7, 2022.