Opinion ID: 1817624
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Hospital contract

Text: ¶ 3. A few years later, in response to a proposal submitted by the University of Mississippi Medical Center (the Hospital), the Central Mississippi Planning and Development District Area Agency on Aging (CMPDD) hired the Hospital to provide certain services within the district, which is identified in the contract as the City of Jackson. The operation of the day care center was included in the services to be provided under the contract. ¶ 4. The contract, which began October 1, 1996, and ended September 30, 1997, had a service objective of 7,500 meals and 15,000 snacks. The contract generally obligated the Hospital: To provide care, supervision and services to individuals who are capable of only limited self-care; meet health maintenance and rehabilitation need and promote maximum level of independent functioning. More specifically, the contract obligated the Hospital to: (1) Provide blood pressure checks to participants at least three times a week; (2) Do foot care assistance, such as toenail cutting, to participants as needed, but at least twice a month; (3) Arrange for eye examinations as needed, and (4) Arrange for qualified speakers to provide educational programming on dietary needs, ear care, physical and occupational therapy and any other health-related information to participants. ¶ 5. There is no mention of transportation to or from the day care center in the 21-page contract between CMPDD and the Hospital. However, the Quality Assurance Standards (an attachment to the contract) provided certain minimum program requirements, including service activities, location of service, access to service, delivery characteristics, staffing, prohibited service activities, qualifications, personnel management, and monitoring. Section D, Minimum Program Requirements, sub-paragraph 1(d), Transportation Services, provides the following: The day care program shall exert reasonable effort to arrange transportation when needed, for participants to and from their homes and to other community facilities utilized in implementing the participants plan of care. Handicapped accessible transportation shall be provided. The center is encouraged to use community transportation systems and/or families for the provision of transportation when available. All contracted transportation systems shall meet local, state and federal regulations. It is recommended that participants be transported no more than sixty minutes without the opportunity for a rest stop. ¶ 6. It is not clear from the record before us who actually had the responsibility of transporting participants to the day care center on a daily basis when the Hospital's contract began on October 1, 1996. [1] However, on November 20, 1996, CMPDD contracted with the City of Jackson to provide transportation for participants to and from community resources for the purpose of obtaining needed services and goals. This contract had an effective date of October 1, 1996; and therefore, pursuant to the contract, the City began providing a van and driver to pick up participants (including Mrs. Stewart) on October 1, 1996. The City was not a party to the Hospital's contract with CMPDD, and the Hospital was not a party to the City's contract with CMPDD.