Agenda Item No. 13

Introduced by the Human Services and Finance Committees of the:

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

WHEREAS, the Ingham County Health Department maintains medical records for many thousands of clients; and

WHEREAS, there is a regular need to share these records, or summaries of these records, with proper authorization and purpose, with other health care providers, government offices and attorneys; and

WHEREAS, the task of copying and mailing such records has grown and now represents a strain on the resources of the Department; and

WHEREAS, Department staff have identified Smart Corporation as providing confidential services to copy records and provide them to other authorized providers, government offices and attorneys; and

WHEREAS, Smart Corporation will conform to all Department policies, state and federal laws and rules pertaining to confidentiality of medical records; and

WHEREAS, Smart Corporation will be compensated by the provider, government office or attorney receiving the copy of such records, and that certain parties shall be provided copies of records without payment; and

WHEREAS, the Health Officer recommends that the Board of Commissioners authorize the agreement with Smart Corporation because it will save valuable resources in the Department= s clinical units.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners authorizes a one year agreement with Smart Corporation for record copying services.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, Smart Corporation will copy medical and other records of the Department, when such records have been authorized for copying by the patient, guardian, state statute or court, and that the Corporation shall be compensated for such services by billing certain parties receiving such records.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Corporation shall comply with all County and Department policies and with all state and federal statutes and rules related to confidentiality of patient/client information.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that billable parties shall include: attorneys, insurance companies, such government agencies as the Social Security Administration and the Family Independence Agency, copy services and record deposit services; and that non-billable parties shall include hospitals, nursing homes, Medicaid, Friend of the Court, schools, jails and prisons, law enforcement agencies and patient advocates.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Ingham County will be charged for copying services only if and when the number of records copied for non-billable purposes exceeds the number of records copied for billable purposes.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board Chairperson is authorized to sign the agreement with Smart Corporation after review by the County Attorney.

HUMAN SERVICES: Yeas: Czarnecki, Smiley, Grebner, Schmidt, Severino Nays: None

Absent: None Approved 11/20.00

FINANCE:Yeas: Bernero, Grebner, Czarnecki, McDonald, Schafer, Juall, Minter

Nays: Absent: None Approved 11/21/00