DEPARTMENT: SAFD
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Charles N. Hood
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Extending and amending an existing agreement with South Texas Blood and Tissue Center to provide scheduled delivery service of blood to the San Antonio Fire Department.
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes an agreement with South Texas Blood & Tissue Center (STBTC) to provide whole blood to the San Antonio Fire Department (SAFD) to administer to patients in emergency situations for an initial term from council award through September 30, 2022, with the option for the City to extend the term for two additional annual renewals, for an estimated annual amount of $100,000.00. Funding in the amount of $100,000.00 is available in the FY 2019 General Fund Budget with additional funding for future fiscal years subject to City Council appropriation of funds.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On September 1, 2018, SAFD entered into an agreement with STBTC for a 12 month period ending August 31, 2019 in the amount of $50,000.00. This initial agreement was a pilot program to implement a new whole blood program in which STBTC would provide blood to the San Antonio Emergency Medical Service (SAEMS) Division. Under this agreement, the SAEMS would purchase pints of blood to be carried by Medic Officers and the Medical Special Operations Unit (MSOU) to administer to trauma patients in certain situations and as needed to increase the patient’s chance of survival.
The SAFD Whole Blood Program is intended to provide EMS patients with whole blood when needed to increase their chance of survival. SAFD is one of the first in the nation to implement this program.
Under the existing agreement, as of May 27, 2019 the SAFD has administered 110 pints of blood to the citizens of San Antonio, or a monthly average of 14 pints. It is anticipated that the number of pints utilized under the new contract would average 191 pints of blood annually.
ISSUE:
The proposed ordinance extends and amends an existing agreement with the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center to provide scheduled delivery service of blood to the San Antonio Fire Department.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should this agreement not be approved, the EMS’s availability of whole blood would be eliminated.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes an amendment and extension to the agreement with South Texas Blood & Tissue Center to provide whole blood to EMS Patients under the San Antonio Fire Department’s Whole Blood Program for an initial term from council award through September 30, 2022, with options to extend for two additional annual renewals, for an estimated annual amount of $100,000.00. Funding for FY 2019 is available in the FY 2019 General Fund Budget with additional funding for future fiscal years subject to the appropriation of funds.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the agreement with South Texas Blood & Tissue Center to provide whole blood to the San Antonio Fire Department for an estimated amount of $100,000.00 annually.