Agenda

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C. 48

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Anna Roth, Health Services
Date:	June 26, 2018

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Add five Respiratory Care Practitioner II positions and Increase Hours of two Vacant Respiratory Care Practitioner II

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 06/26/2018

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

Mary Dunn, 925-957-5267

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: June 26, 2018
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

ADOPT Position Adjustment Resolution No. 22307 to add five (5) full-time Respiratory Care Practitioner II (VIVA) positions at salary plan and grade TC5-1735 ($6,644-$8,076) and increase hours of two (2) vacant Respiratory Care Practitioner II (VIVA) positions #8576 from 1/40 to 40/40 and position #9622 from 1/40 to 40/40 at salary plan and grade TC5-1735 ($6,644-$8,076) in the Health Services Department. (Represented)

FISCAL IMPACT:

Upon approval, this action will result in an annual increased cost of approximately $1,101,815 with pension costs of $240,839 already included. The positions will be fully funded by Hospital Enterprise Fund I and mitigated by a reduction in overtime and agency temporary costs estimated to be approximately $800,000 annually.

BACKGROUND:

The Cardiopulmonary Unit within the hospital and clinics is at a critical point in its current staffing levels and is experiencing a constant use of overtime to cover needed shifts, which has exhausted its permanent and agency staff.

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

The expansion of the respiratory therapy role in acute care ambulatory setting and pulmonary function laboratory (hospital and clinics) has created a shortfall in staffing. There are currently seven (7) Respiratory Care Practitioners working through a temporary agency. Over the last ten years, a temporary plan was put in place to provide cardiopulmonary services to hospital ambulatory outpatient units and clinics. After several years of providing these services to outpatient units and an increase in the Contra Costa Health Plan enrollment membership, there has been a need to increase the staffing levels. The Sleep Study clinic is one of the major causes for the need to increase the number of positions. In addition to the need to add more permanent staffing, with the closure of Doctor's Hospital, the ambulatory care setting has seen an increase in the number of complex respiratory admissions due to patients being unable to access timely ambulatory care.

The Cardiopulmonary Unit is in a constant flux situation to keep up with the demands of services needed. It is overwhelming and difficult to provide the necessary services without the proper staffing levels. Adding these positions will reduce the significant and constant use of overtime to cover shifts when staff is unavailable or unable to cover extra shifts for both per diem and agency staff (temporary staffing). Approval of this personnel action will help the department to operate both functionally and efficiently as well as provide the staffing level needed for continuous service and remove the use of agency temporary staff on an ongoing basis.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

If this action is not approved, there will not be adequate staffing for the Cardiopulmonary Unit to provide the needed services to meet patient care needs.