Santa Clara County Municipal Code Art. 3 Santa Clara Valley Healthcare

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Section 2 of Ord. No. NS-300.803, adopted Nov. 3, 2009, repealed Art. 4, which consisted of §§ A18-25—A18-32, pertained to Santa Clara Valley Department of Alcohol and Drug Services, and derived from Ord. No. NS-300.597, adopted May 13, 1997. Section 4 of Ord. No. NS-300.803 renumbered Art. 5, §§ A18-33—A18-42 as Art. 3, §§ A18-15—A18-26. Subsequently, Sec. 6 of Ord. No. NS-300.968, adopted December 6, 2022, changed the name of Art. 3 from Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and Ambulatory Care Clinics to Santa Clara Valley Healthcare.

There is in the CSCHS a Department of Santa Clara Valley Healthcare, which is comprised of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, O'Connor Hospital, St. Louise Regional Hospital, and Ambulatory Care Clinics hereafter referred to in this chapter as SCVH. The Chief Executive Officer of SCVH shall be appointed by and supervised by the County Executive in accordance with the provisions of the Charter and this Code.

(Ord. No. NS-300.597, § 2, 5-13-97; Ord. No. NS-300.803, § 4, 11-3-09; Ord. No. NS-300.968, § 7, 12-6-22)

The Chief Executive Officer shall be responsible for the administration and professional activities of SCVH and shall provide patients with a safe environment in which to receive medical care. The Chief Executive Officer is expected to assure that proper personnel, equipment, supplies, and facilities are provided to carry out these prescribed functions. The Chief Executive Officer shall determine and transmit the needs of SCVH to the Executive Director of CSCHS.

(Ord. No. NS-300.597, § 2, 5-13-97; Ord. No. NS-300.803, § 4, 11-3-09; Ord. No. NS-300.968, § 8, 12-6-22)

The professional care of patients is the responsibility of the Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer shall coordinate the activities of the medical, dental, and nursing staffs with the technical, paraprofessional, and supporting services to provide for optimum care of patients. The Chief Executive Officer may limit the individuals who practice or treat patients in SCVH.

(Ord. No. NS-300.597, § 2, 5-13-97; Ord. No. NS-300.803, § 4, 11-3-09; Ord. No. NS-300.968, § 9, 12-6-22)

The Director shall administer the policies of the County relative to admission and discharge of patients.

(Ord. No. NS-300.597, § 2, 5-13-97; Ord. No. NS-300.803, § 4, 11-3-09)

The Director shall maintain complete records of all persons admitted to or treated by the medical institution. Such records shall be confidential, and their contents may be released only in accordance with proper legal authority.

(Ord. No. NS-300.597, § 2, 5-13-97; Ord. No. NS-300.803, § 4, 11-3-09)

The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for the organization and the conduct of the professional training program at SCVH.

(Ord. No. NS-300.597, § 2, 5-13-97; Ord. No. NS-300.803, § 4, 11-3-09; Ord. No. NS-300.968, § 10, 12-6-22)

The Enterprise Medical Staff of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, O'Connor Hospital, and St. Louise Regional Hospital shall be composed of the employed staff and the non-employed staff who shall be supervised in accordance with the Medical Staff Bylaws and, for employed staff, the County Charter and this Code. The medical staff shall adopt such rules and regulations for its own internal organization except that nothing therein shall affect or in any way alter the terms or provisions of this Code or any directive of the Chief Executive Officer for the internal operation of SCVH. The Chief Executive Officer of SCVH shall be an ex officio member of all committees of the medical staff.

(Ord. No. NS-300.597, § 2, 5-13-97; Ord. No. NS-300.803, § 4, 11-3-09; Ord. No. NS-300.968, § 11, 12-6-22)

Any sick, disabled, or injured person may be admitted to SCVH as an inpatient or outpatient in accordance with state and federal law and regulations. The following classes of patients shall be admitted to SCVH:

(1) Inmates confined in County penal institutions in need of hospital or medical care.

(2) Wards and dependent children of the Juvenile Court in need of hospital or medical care, upon request of the Juvenile Probation Officer.

(3) Persons admitted pursuant to the provisions of Part 1 of Division 5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code (Welfare and Institutions Code § 5000 et seq.).

(4) Prospective County employees examined at the request of the Director of Personnel of the County. The Chief Executive Officer shall report in writing to the Director of Personnel the physical fitness of the applicant for the particular position applied for.

(5) Persons in any way connected with alleged crimes, as victims, witnesses or otherwise, if the said persons are referred by any law enforcement agency for medical examinations. These examinations shall be made regardless of whether the person is an adult or a minor.

(Ord. No. NS-300.597, § 2, 5-13-97; Ord. No. NS-300.803, § 4, 11-3-09; Ord. No. NS-300.968, § 12, 12-6-22)

The County hereby elects to be governed by the provisions of Government Code §§ 23004.1 and 23004.2 with respect to claims and liens for County hospital services to patients whose hospitalization was caused by the torts of third parties.

(Ord. No. NS-300.597, § 2, 5-13-97; Ord. No. NS-300.803, § 4, 11-3-09)

The Chief Executive Officer, personally or through an assistant or employee so designated, is authorized to recommend to the County Executive compromising claims for services received from SCVH, and may recommend agreements with patients or their legally responsible relatives or executors or administrators for the payment of less than the amount owed where full payment would result in hardship or indigency for the spouse or minor child or children of the patient; provided, however, that in recommending compromising any such claims, said Chief Executive Officer shall give precedence to hospital care, treatment, and supplies over medical services rendered in prescribing payment requirements. Final authority to compromise any such claim rests with the Board of Supervisors.

(Ord. No. NS-300.597, § 2, 5-13-97; Ord. No. NS-300.803, § 4, 11-3-09; Ord. No. NS-300.968, § 13, 12-6-22)