AMBULANCE SERVICE BOARD

200 E. Wells Street City of Milwaukee Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 Meeting Minutes AMBULANCE SERVICE BOARD Ald. Terry Witkowski, Chair Jeanette Kowalik, Dr. Andrew Calvert, Jeff Fleming, Dr. M. Riccardo Colella and Robert Riepenhoff Staff Assistant, Joanna Polanco, 286-2366, Fax: 286-3456, jpolan@milwaukee.gov Legislative Liaison, Adam Wickersham, 286-2170, adam.wickersham@milwaukee.gov Monday, December 4, 2017 10:00 AM Room 301-B, City Hall 1. Call to Order. Meeting called to order at 10:03 a.m. 2. Roll Call. Ms. Rotar present for Mr. Baker. Present 7 - Rotar, Witkowski, Fronk, Calvert, Colella, Riepenhoff and Fleming Absent 1 - Coogan 3. Approval of the November 27, 2017 minutes. Mr. Fronk moved, seconded by Mrs. Rotar, to approve the November 27, 2017. There were no objections. 4. The Ambulance Service Board will go into closed session, pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 19.85(1)(e), for the purpose of formulating strategies relating to the negotiation of long term contracts for ambulance service providers. The Ambulance Service Board may then reconvene in open session to take action on matters considered in closed session and/or to continue with the remainder of its agenda. There was no closed session. 5. Discussion relating to contracts for Ambulance Service Providers. Individuals appearing: Mark Rohlfing, Fire Chief Jon Schwengel, Fire Assistant Chief Ald. Witkowski said that since the last board meeting, the only unsettled matter was for a provider map. The provider map would be drawn and presented to the board at its meeting today from the Fire Department. Chief Rohlfing said that the map, which has been distributed to the board, was developed with participation and input from Paratech Ambulance Services, Meda-Care City of Milwaukee Page 1 AMBULANCE SERVICE BOARD Meeting Minutes December 4, 2017 Ambulance Services, and Bell Ambulance regarding the coverage boundaries for each provider. Chief Schwingel commented. Items that were looked at when finalizing the map included call volume capacity, area sustainability, performance of the ambulance providers, and reduction of potential lower reimbursement areas. Meda-Care’s area would be reduced by 6%. The 6% would be split between Paratech and Bell. Dr. Calvert questioned a change in the western border of the map. Chief Schwingel replied. The western border was changed from 38th Street to 33rd Street. Another change was the area bordered by 19th Street, Richards Street, Center Street, and Burleigh Street being added to Bell’s area. Individuals appearing: Atty. Brian Randall, on behalf of Paratech and Meda-Care Atty. Josh Gimbel, on behalf of Bell Ambulance James Baker, Curtis Ambulance Atty. Randall, Atty. Gimbel, and Mr. Baker indicated their acceptance of the map and its boundaries. Ald. Witkowski questioned the completion of provider contracts. Individual appearing: Atty. Patrick McClain, Assistant City Attorney Atty. McClain commented. A draft contract with changes was circulated to the board. Changes to the agreement were minor, and there were no objections from the providers. There seemed to be universal approval, and approval of the map would complete the agreement. Most of the changes were pages being renumbered and line-struck items being removed. Atty. McClain summarized the following changes: contract is a 10-year agreement; sections 2.1 and 2.3 - dates reflecting the 10-year period; section 3.5 - MFD handing off patients and ALS information to a provider for downgraded basic life support calls; paragraph 3.18 - advertising language to reflect all providers to submit advertising to MFD for its approval or response within 21 days after receiving a submittal; paragraph 7.9 - the unable to handle standard increased from 2% to a more realistic 4% based on experience and language inserted for the MFD chief to set statistical outliers, although highly unlikely; paragraph 8.1 (biggest change) - establishing a more flexible, progressive remedy process for providers who fail to meet contract standards where the MFD chief can send written letters to a provider, have a face-to-face meeting with a provider, and recommend to the board to impose remedial action allowable under the ordinance; following sections renumbered after paragraph 8.1 to 8.9; MDF chief retains ability to recommend decertification of a provider or alteration of provider service areas to the board based on safety issues; remaining changes in section 8 are renumbering changes; and paragraph 14 - provision requiring providers to provide service data was inserted into the City ordinance to mirror the County ordinance. Mr. Fronk said that he was concerned if members had further concerns about the contract after today’s meeting. Ald. Witkowski commented. Further time to thoroughly review the contract by City of Milwaukee Page 2 AMBULANCE SERVICE BOARD Meeting Minutes December 4, 2017 members before board approval would not permit the contract to acquire Common Council approval, which needs to happen subsequent to today’s board meeting. The board cannot officially vote on approving the contract today due to the meeting agenda not having an appropriate agenda item to allow for a vote; however, the board can express their support and objections to the contract. There is a resolution for the Common Council to approve the contract. Any substantial concerns from members should be conveyed to him for him to raise those concerns to the Common Council or direct further board review. If there are no objections from members, he can express to the Common Council that the board supports the contract and has no objections. Members expressed their support and having no objections to the contract. Ald. Witkowski said that the board should provide oversight and review for mid-year next year turn backs, service plans, geographical sizes, boundaries, area adjustments, and any other issues. 6. Discussion relating to issuance, renewal, suspension, revocation and reinstatement of certified provider certificates. Individuals appearing: Atty. Patrick McClain, Assistant City Attorney Mark Rohlfing, Fire Department Chief Chief Rohlfing said that there was no objection to recertification. 7. 171051 Resolution relating to certification of ambulance service providers for the citywide emergency medical service system. Mrs. Rotar moved, seconded by Mr. Fronk, recommended approval of the recertification of the ambulance service providers for the Citywide medical service sytem. There was no objection. 8. Adjournment. Meeting adjourned at 10:30 a.m. Chris Lee, Staff Assistant Council Records Section City Clerk's Office City of Milwaukee Page 3