Special Joint Health and Planning Commission Reviews CPMC Compliance (May 15, 2025)
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Special Joint Health and Planning Commission Reviews CPMC Compliance (May 15, 2025)
The San Francisco Health and Planning Commissions held a special joint meeting on May 15, 2025, to review the California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) annual compliance statements for calendar years 2022 and 2023, marking the final hearing under the 10-year development agreement (DA). City staff presented findings that CPMC had met or exceeded all major obligations, including over $73 million in payments, workforce hiring targets, healthcare commitments, and public improvements. Commissioners expressed appreciation for CPMC's performance while noting ongoing concerns about the delayed Guerrero Plaza, the closure of labor and delivery services at Mission Bernal, and the need for continued monitoring of remaining healthcare obligations through 2028. No public testimony was offered, and staff recommended that the directors of Planning and Public Health find CPMC in compliance for the reporting period.
Discussion Items
- CPMC Annual Compliance Overview: Staff reviewed the DA requirements, including replacement of St. Luke's Hospital (completed in 2018/2019 with Mission Bernal and Van Ness campuses), $73 million in payments, construction of a neurological care center, and a public plaza at Mission Bernal (construction to start later in 2025). A third-party monitor will review the directors' findings.
- Fee Increase Impact: Ethica Hussein, CFO of the San Francisco Health Service System, reported that CPMC rate increases are under actuarial review for 2022-2023, with all other years completed and CPMC found compliant; one small payout was made in a prior year.
- Workforce Compliance: Lowell Rice of the Mayor's Office of Economic and Workforce Development reported that CPMC exceeded non-construction hiring goals (78 of 160 entry-level hires from workforce referral network in the final year, exceeding the 48% target), with a 77% retention rate (390 of 508 hires retained over 180 days). The CPMC Workforce Fund distributed $870,000 to community organizations (JVS, Self-Help for the Elderly, Success Centers, Faces SF).
- Healthcare Commitments: Maxwell Garrett of the Department of Public Health detailed compliance:
- Charity care/Medi-Cal patients: 30,836 in 2022 and 31,865 in 2023 (exceeding the 30,345 requirement).
- Community benefits: $15 million in 2022 and $11.3 million in 2023 (exceeding $8 million).
- Medi-Cal managed care: Over 43,000 beneficiaries in 2022 and 41,000+ in 2023; CPMC continues to contract with San Francisco Health Plan.
- Tenderloin MSO partnership: CPMC partnered with NEMS MSO, covering 4,900 unduplicated lives in 2022 and 5,200+ in 2023.
- Bed space: 30 shell beds at Van Ness remain unbuilt because Mission Bernal daily census has not reached 75%.
- Labor and delivery closure at Mission Bernal: Notice given April 3, 2024; Health Commission found no detrimental impact with conditions (maintain women's clinic, transport options).
- Center of Excellence in Community Health (Health First): 723 unique patients in 2022 (+10%), slight increase in 2023.
- Center of Excellence in Senior Health: ACE unit saw ~1,000 patients in 2022 and 1,100+ in 2023 (exceeding 600 goal).
- Medical Office Building at Mission Bernal: Approved and funded, targeting 2028 opening.
- Other provisions: Participation in SF HIP, partnership with Chinese Hospital renewed, compliance with national CLAS standards.
- Public Improvements: Carl Hennessey (Public Works) reported that Guerrero Plaza design is near final, with a waterline design element remaining; construction permit issuance expected soon. Commissioner Braun questioned the delay and coordination with a traffic signal at 28th and Guerrero (planned for fall 2027 per SFMTA). Commissioner Braun also noted that the lower plaza at Mission Bernal was removed for construction staging of the neurosciences care complex; CPMC confirmed it will be reinstalled by 2028.
- Commissioner Comments and Questions:
- Vice President Moore (Planning) praised CPMC's compliance, asked about Guerrero Plaza delay, and raised concern about proposed state cuts to Medi-Cal affecting vulnerable populations.
- Commissioner Braun asked about the intersection signal, lower plaza removal, and hoped for continued reduction in single-occupancy vehicle trips.
- Commissioner Chow (Health) commended CPMC on CLAS standards, requested regular reporting to the Health Commission on remaining health obligations (through 2028), including subacute care, and urged DPH to keep the Commission informed on progress towards a city subacute unit.
- Commissioner Guggenheim (Health) echoed support and emphasized interconnectedness of public health.
- Planning Commission President (unidentified) suggested staff provide status reports in 12-18 months on Mission Bernal campus services, senior health, community health, and Guerrero Plaza completion.
Key Outcomes
- Staff recommended that the Directors of Planning and Public Health find CPMC in compliance for calendar years 2022 and 2023; no formal commission vote was taken.
- Commissioners acknowledged that three healthcare obligations continue through 2028: maintenance of certain Mission Bernal services, operation of Centers of Excellence for Community Health and Senior Health, and annual compliance reporting.
- DPH will continue to monitor these obligations and provide written updates to the Health Commission.
- Commissioners requested that DPH and Planning staff provide periodic progress reports (e.g., annually or within 12-18 months) on outstanding items, including Guerrero Plaza construction, Mission Bernal campus services, the effect of labor and delivery closure conditions, subacute care development, and coordination with SFMTA on intersection improvements.
- The meeting concluded with expressions of gratitude from both commissions for the collaborative process over the 10-year DA.
Meeting Transcript
So we'll wait until just a little bit. Oh, sure, sure, sure. She's our problem, Charlie. I know. The SFGov TV is gonna unmirror it, but this is what we have now. I know it's mirrored. Uh SFGov TV doesn't have access, so we're pulling from the WebEx and it mirrors it. When SFGov TV shows it, it shows it, it unmirrors it to the outside world, but inside the room we're going to be seeing it. Actually, I'll go ahead and announce it. Everyone, um, we're having a bit of a small technical difficulty, and so in the room, the screen is gonna look like it's a mirror, but it's being shown to the world outside unmirror. Okay. Uh good morning, and uh welcome everyone. Uh welcome to the joint uh committee meeting uh for the planning and health uh commissions for what's the day, Thursday, May May 15th. Okay, and uh Secretary Moore is can we call a roll? Yes, I'll start with you, Vice President Gilearmo. Present. Commissioner Christian. Present. Commissioner Salgado. Present. Commissioner Chow. President. Commissioner Guggenheim. Thank you. We can't hear you, Jonas. Your mic is off. So at this time I'd like to call role for the planning commission. Uh Commission President. So Present. Commission Vice President Moore. Commissioner Braun here. Commissioner Campbell. Here. Commissioner Imperial. And Commissioner McGarry. Thank you. Uh we expect Commissioner Williams to be absent today. Sorry, please. Uh Commissioner Guggenheim, can you read the land acknowledgement? Oh, I'm s I'm sorry, Commissioner Salgado. We'll read the land acknowledgement. The San Francisco Health Commission acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramatushan Aloney, who are the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Peninsula. As the indigenous stewards of this land and in accordance with their traditions, the Ramatusha Loney have never ceded, lost, nor forgotten their responsibilities as the caretakers of this place, as well as for all peoples who reside in this in their traditional territory. As guests, we recognize that we benefit from living and working on their traditional homeland. Thank you. Uh the the only item on the agenda today is case 2016 004 775 MCM, California Pacific Medical Center annual compliance statements, and this is a discussion only information only item. The item before you is an informational presentation on the California Pacific Medical Center compliance with the development agreement. This is a hearing for the combined calendar years of 2022 and 2023, and it's the final hearing for this DA. I am joined by Ithaca Hussein of the San Francisco Health Service System, Lowell Rice of the Mayor's Office of Economic and Workforce Development, and Maxwell Garrett of Department of Public Health. Monitor, please.
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