DEPARTMENT: Health
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Colleen M. Bridger, MPH, PhD
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Authorizing an Agreement with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes a Professional Services Agreement with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler (UTHSCT) for the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District’s (Metro Health) Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Program, in an amount not to exceed $120,000.00. UTHSCT will provide services relating to the treatment of patients with active TB infection for a term beginning October 1, 2018 and ending September 30, 2019 with the option to renew for up to one, one-year term funded in the FY 2019 General Fund budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
As the local health district for the City of San Antonio and Bexar County, Metro Health is charged with investigating all suspected and confirmed cases of active TB and provides prompt diagnosis and treatment through a process of Directly Observed Therapy (DOT). DOT is a method of drug administration in which a health care professional physically watches as a person takes each dose of a medication. DOT is used to ensure the person receives and takes all medications as prescribed and to monitor a patient's response to treatment. DOT is the standard of care to manage tuberculosis (TB) disease. Metro Health’s TB Clinic operation is also comprised of patient care for active TB patients. The UTHSCT Heartland National TB Center is one of four Centers of Excellence in the United States, and is the only one in Texas funded by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of TB Elimination, to provide medical and technical consultation services related to various aspects of TB control. As such, the UTHSCT is the only entity with this level of expertise available within the state to provide these services.
Therefore, through this agreement, Metro Health seeks to secure expert TB physician services through the UTHSCT for full medical coverage for all active TB patients referred to Metro Health’s TB clinic.
ISSUE:
Metro Health requests City Council authorize an agreement with UTHSCT so that treatment can be better facilitated for individuals with suspected active TB disease. TB continues to be a significant and expensive public health problem in Texas. TB can strike anyone, but is more likely to be found in those born in a foreign country, people with diabetes, people with HIV/AIDS, the homeless, incarcerated and those that work in health care. Many individuals in this population also are uninsured and lack access to appropriate treatment and care.
ALTERNATIVES:
If this agreement is not authorized, Metro Health will need to identify alternative mechanisms to provide expert TB physician services for patients identified in the community with active TB disease.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes an agreement with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler in an amount up to $120,000.00 for a period beginning October 1, 2018 and ending September 30, 2019 with the option to renew for one year. Funding is available through the FY 2019 General Fund. Funding in the out-year is contingent upon City Council approval.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the Ordinance authorizing an agreement with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler for expert TB physician services related to the treatment of patients with active TB.