Plan To Grant Oversight of San Francisco Health Services Stirring Debate

The San Francisco Planning Commission is considering an ordinance that would establish a citywide Health Services Master Plan, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Plan Details

The measure, proposed by Supervisor David Campos, would require medical organizations to demonstrate that any facility construction projects or changes to medical services align with the city's health services plan.

The proposal also calls for an assessment of San Francisco's:

• Demand for different medical services;
• Health services trends;
• Hospital capacity; and
• Medically underserved areas.

The Planning Commission would develop the master plan in coordination with the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

Concerns

Although members of the planning commission acknowledge the need for a citywide health services plan, they also say the ordinance could hinder the development of new medical projects.

Some health care organizations have expressed concern that Campos' proposal would scrap medical projects that currently are awaiting city approval. If the ordinance takes effect sometime in the near future, any pending hospital projects would need to undergo "consistency determination" hearings to determine whether they meet city needs.

Proposed Changes

Some Planning Commission members have recommended scaling back Campos' proposal to exempt hospital projects currently under development.

Such members also called for exemptions for smaller medical projects to allow for greater flexibility in health services changes (Wildermuth, San Francisco Chronicle, 10/28).