[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6652782,"mediaKeyId","2489352-eb6b47f15b5f526ca65cfdf18f0f7298","parentId",2489352,"title","San Francisco Health Commission honors outgoing DPH Director Grant Colfax as Daniel Tsai begins tenure","audioSeconds",2096,"startMs",838000,"endMs",2934000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2489352-eb6b47f15b5f526ca65cfdf18f0f7298&start=838&end=2934","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2489352-eb6b47f15b5f526ca65cfdf18f0f7298/thumbnail_838000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6652782/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/San-Francisco-Health-Commission-honors-outgoing-DPH-Director-Grant-Colfax-as-Daniel-Tsai-begins-tenure","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6652782-1ed7df3a61c51df63c7d9e86bf0efde3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171813&Signature=ChIpbV6OJESquPdN29hajsVV~it2~BhonU74AnLui8~wdc8J1L2iOcCtQqEDk2lmlsQKx2mQQbP~IR4Qehhsz4N6PaM5rIPgN6GEZ5HqwMU42kZJEbtYUtNZnaDnVE0bLnpJ6RVZbHYz9dcIvV~tURm7tIUL-fBcbf1mLg~8WfeGhH~IUwFZTzwXKdbkHpGiXgZHGD1gagQW7Pvxrh30PVfSkZ9-BoXeaC7EANxRlEoPv6ztvA4dAF6cdPLkd4rPYFK3IltQDUtO28byL8RoLO4Y6eJC936jlGEnr6EiI9uSeWLm0MnYLP7HyhLQEfYq3AuoPGBhBBQJ9X0vrz88-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of San Francisco","date","2025-03-03T00:00:00Z","article","The San Francisco Health Commission on March 3 approved a resolution honoring Dr. Grant Colfax for six years as San Francisco’s Director of Public Health and heard introductory remarks from incoming Director Daniel Tsai, who said it was his first day on the job and that he was “very, very excited to be here.”

The resolution acknowledged Colfax’s role leading the department through the COVID‑19 pandemic, the city’s MPox response and efforts on mental‑health and substance‑use services. Commissioners and DPH staff delivered extended remarks praising Colfax’s emphasis on data, treatment expansion and the recertification of Laguna Honda Hospital (LHH). At the same meeting, Director Tsai outlined priorities including improving access and ambulatory‑care scheduling.

Commissioners described Colfax’s tenure as transformative. Commissioner Christian said DPH under Colfax “has been as inventive and as nimble as they can be” in expanding street teams and treatment capacity. Commissioner Guillermo praised Colfax’s combination of “head and heart,” and Commissioner Chow noted improvements in data and operations under his leadership.

Deputy Director Navina Bhabha read the resolution and highlighted accomplishments cited in the text, including vaccination campaigns during MPox and COVID‑19, expansions in behavioral‑health and treatment‑bed capacity, implementation of a unified electronic medical record, and reductions in nurse vacancy rates.

Several public commenters used the meeting’s public‑comment period to praise Colfax and to raise criticisms. A remote commenter called for additional scrutiny of Laguna Honda Hospital leadership and cited staff licensing and hiring concerns; another public commenter said the department had not included required language in the mayoral appointment notice for Director Tsai and urged audits of patient share‑of‑cost revenue at LHH. Those public comments were heard but did not change the commission’s action.

After public comment and commissioner remarks, the commission voted to approve the resolution honoring Dr. Grant Colfax. Commissioners moved on to present Colfax with a plaque and gathered for a staff photo.

In his brief remarks, Dr. Colfax thanked the commission and DPH staff and emphasized that public‑health delivery depends on people across the department and community partners. Incoming Director Tsai said he planned a listening posture and flagged ambulatory‑care process improvements as a priority, noting pilot efforts to reduce long appointment wait times and to expand open‑access scheduling at some clinics.

The commission’s action was procedural (adopting the resolution) rather than a policy vote; no changes to departmental authority were made during the item. Directors and commissioners said they expect a transition period in which Tsai will consult with staff and community partners before presenting longer‑term plans.

Colfax’s departure and Tsai’s arrival close a six‑year chapter for DPH leadership and begin a transition the commission described as orderly. The resolution passed during the meeting; commissioners and staff said the department’s operational work will continue as the new director settles in.

Sources: public remarks at the March 3, 2025 San Francisco Health Commission meeting; Deputy Director Navina Bhabha’s remarks; outgoing Director Grant Colfax and incoming Director Daniel Tsai’s statements at the meeting.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of San Francisco - Video Open Video Only in Windows Media Player - Mar 03, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The San Francisco Health Commission on March 3 approved a resolution honoring Dr. Grant Colfax for six years as San Francisco’s Director of Public Health and welcomed Daniel Tsai as the department’s new director.","taxTitle","San Francisco City, San Francisco County, California","taxId",5751,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6652768,"Votes at a glance: Health Commission approves tribute to Colfax, two EPIC gifts and consent calendar",92,5838000,5930000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2489352-eb6b47f15b5f526ca65cfdf18f0f7298&start=5838&end=5930","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2489352-eb6b47f15b5f526ca65cfdf18f0f7298/thumbnail_5838000.jpg","/articles/6652768/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/Votes-at-a-glance-Health-Commission-approves-tribute-to-Colfax-two-EPIC-gifts-and-consent-calendar","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6652768-19627f9662707a032b7777604d7327f4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171813&Signature=nAYCR~eL7v0c6Oml97-TLv85L4Vg0yXDtPP2n7ehAqyBAYgJSlDMcjadB2IjyDIMa7grAzKDDNhRiIxvmrQtOb7XP56QlFFMZ0tv-4uqoHns2PbHj0JLXp7~MqHogeFEX34lqQvsi5AX6miwjdmE1ZBqCSf3-776fh-69asCL0LgrxOzOkIY4Rk3mK30RvwR~VNWNvqMGONTA6MyhCEn27n51mzYDokkXIh6zdL9tKN5Otk1aCHVbWVBzDkk60ZpB9TCdWx47nh4fWPqSWBSaf~s67pDurrNSMjr5DMfzK4bx6uogiah4bsXrI54u3LV8v2Ety1M5KbDrB8t5iFjpA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its March 3 meeting the San Francisco Health Commission adopted several routine and ceremonial items by voice vote.

Key votes and procedural outcomes

- Resolution honoring Dr. Grant Colfax: Approved by voice vote during the meeting. (See separate article on the Colfax resolution and leadership transition.)

- EPIC Systems Corporation gift — Richmond Area Multi‑Services Project: The commission recommended the Board of Supervisors authorize acceptance and expenditure of a $37,000 gift from EPIC Systems Corporation to support information‑technology support services for behavioral‑health work in the Richmond area multi‑services project. The commission voted to recommend the resolution to the Board of Supervisors.

- EPIC Systems Corporation expanded gifts: The commission voted to authorize acceptance and expenditure of additional EPIC gifts intended to support safety‑net primary care and related activities. The meeting materials and staff presentation described an expanded package of EPIC gifts; the full consolidated dollar total was described in the meeting as already included in the budget for fiscal years 2023‑26 and was not stated clearly in the public presentation. In the transcript, staff said the second set of EPIC gifts had been included in the budget and therefore did not require a Board of Supervisors recommendation. The exact consolidated amounts for the second item were not clearly read in the public record and are marked here as not specified; staff told commissioners the budget reflected those gifts and answered clarifying questions.

- Consent calendar and minutes: The commission approved amended minutes from the Feb. 10, 2025 meeting, and approved the consent calendar by voice vote.

Votes were taken by voice; no roll‑call tallies with individual vote names were recorded in the public transcript. Where the meeting record did not include precise dollar amounts for the second EPIC gift item, the article notes that the specific total was not specified during the public read‑aloud and that staff said the gift suite had been included in the department’s budget.

Sources: Staff presentations by Gregory (Greg) Wong and other DPH administrative analysts, and public vote audio at the March 3, 2025 San Francisco Health Commission meeting.","The Health Commission approved a ceremonial resolution honoring outgoing DPH director Grant Colfax, authorized staff to recommend acceptance of a $37,000 gift from EPIC Systems Corporation and approved an additional EPIC gift package already included in the budget; the consent calendar and minutes were also approved by voice vote.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6652772,"Laguna Honda Hospital finances remain under pressure; public commenters urge accountability for decertification and recovery costs",6851,543000,7394000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2489352-eb6b47f15b5f526ca65cfdf18f0f7298&start=543&end=7394","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2489352-eb6b47f15b5f526ca65cfdf18f0f7298/thumbnail_543000.jpg","/articles/6652772/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/Laguna-Honda-Hospital-finances-remain-under-pressure-public-commenters-urge-accountability-for-decertification-and-recovery-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6652772-118c9bee6f53ca1642036daec23877af/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171813&Signature=TPd0IRpg79pBTOZ9SI3VczpjgT06FKHdCsUK9D7eJBVtkpTEWisoHg~rAvRiDWoxJ3dDS0ARkCYfBgGDdTAoXXCAIbLH1eXZA0kYloMmkJeAHs--csCag~joLdLtNCdjYrw~vuFogop~ruJ0SkrMJgAW27-guQjutGSoGzYFP78CQfff12RK9sJ5CLRcJONWqOZutBEH1rDof~nCh3GpvjYsEyc8ceNBWoIb1EZeS3vMDZhbWbJ~sfHm~6V~B8xJBLxCaWSYE0aDW9E8qr0jpZCvzBML-Wi-2AxJ8uKTNXfnE4z-BPQm83cwGl1v3Bpg27ORuN0UKDJ74-uFL~fgkQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Department of Public Health financial staff told the Health Commission on March 3 that Laguna Honda Hospital (LHH) continues to face a multi‑million dollar shortfall in patient revenue, and several public commenters used the commission meeting to demand additional accountability and faster admissions to recover lost reimbursements.

Chief Financial Officer Drew Merrill said the LHH patient‑revenue deficit is driven by a lower patient census following the facility’s April 2022 decertification. Merrill reported a roughly $48 million patient‑revenue shortfall offset in part by a one‑time distinct‑part nursing facility (DPNF/DPNIF) payment; when that payment is included the net projected revenue shortfall for LHH was described in the presentation as approximately $28.6 million for the year.

Merrill and other finance presenters attributed the overall departmental revenue picture to a mix of program‑specific factors: improved billing and managed‑care receipts in behavioral health, higher pharmacy (340B) program revenues, and a one‑time state recoupment related to prior‑year settlements affecting other hospital revenue lines. Merrill said personnel‑cost savings tied to vacancies remained a major contributor to projected expenditure savings across DPH.

Public comment during the financial‑report item included repeated criticism of the pace of LHH admissions since recertification. A remote commenter asserted that admissions resumed in July 2024 but the hospital’s census had increased only modestly and that the slow pace of admissions was costing the city tens of millions in Medi‑Cal revenue. Another public commenter urged the commission to press the City Attorney to settle a five‑year‑old class‑action lawsuit tied to the 2019 patient‑abuse scandal, warning continuing litigation would further increase costs.

Commissioners asked staff for additional context on complex state funding streams and timing (including waiver‑related and Medi‑Cal reconciliation issues) and requested follow‑up reporting to clarify how federal and state payment changes could affect future revenue. Commissioners also sought additional background on the drivers of LHH admissions and any operational barriers to increasing census.

No formal policy decision was made during the item; commissioner questions focused on getting more detail in future financial briefings. Public commenters pressed for audits of patient share‑of‑cost revenue and stronger accountability for past management decisions.

Source: DPH second‑quarter financial report presentation by Drew Merrill and public comments at the March 3, 2025 Health Commission meeting.","At the March 3 Health Commission meeting DPH CFO reported a multi‑million dollar patient‑revenue shortfall at Laguna Honda Hospital partly offset by a one‑time payment; public commenters criticized the pace of admissions since recertification and urged accountability for costs from the 2022 decertification.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6652777,"San Francisco public‑health officials say H5N1 risk to general public remains low after one local case",960,3760000,4720000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2489352-eb6b47f15b5f526ca65cfdf18f0f7298&start=3760&end=4720","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2489352-eb6b47f15b5f526ca65cfdf18f0f7298/thumbnail_3760000.jpg","/articles/6652777/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/San-Francisco-publichealth-officials-say-H5N1-risk-to-general-public-remains-low-after-one-local-case","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6652777-01de78c55a127497500ea238531fff19/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171813&Signature=Gc4~CyXEpn6fOjCVhuSBf43381klICizB82oFehJmMTHM8Wu~ripKMJhRp6WguQcZAllde8fE1ll4fff7rc71rALJhNZud8w2kJ6~lB~oYZC2lpScJfJRkY3ONn4wKArqhUwFnkeArXAiVj2uDalDHWew0RERNDDJ4sjSU3phbzR3f7Yp1mUD1GZGdzGXcV4RCanctrH~Hi3YTjgreSjdB4h4qiS0JfTRut-Azl-Zhr3SoXwJFT26joy1uitL2TzfFA7aiQiZxlpNYoHs22UOyv~aHBqonSfqhUBgIYowgz4Q~~scDpCX9DdF24TsMGwCgzYsYtqe8VbIHypRZ1lcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","San Francisco’s health officer on March 3 told the Health Commission the city has recorded one human H5N1 avian influenza case but that the risk to the general public remains low.

Dr. Susan Philip said the case was detected through enhanced surveillance in the city’s public‑health laboratory and later confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as genotype B3, a strain linked to recent outbreaks in California dairy cattle. The case was a child in San Francisco with fever and conjunctivitis; symptoms resolved within a week and no secondary infections were found after extensive contact tracing and serology testing.

At a national level, Philip said there were 70 confirmed human cases of H5N1 in the United States as of Feb. 26, with 38 in California. She said more than 12,000 wild birds had tested positive and that about 973 dairy herds in the U.S. had been affected as of late February. Most U.S. human cases have been associated with animal exposures — particularly dairy workers — and almost all reported illnesses have been mild; there have been four hospitalizations and one death reported in Louisiana.

Philip described three planning scenarios the department is preparing for: (1) isolated human cases like San Francisco’s; (2) a virus that gains some ability to transmit person‑to‑person, requiring heightened response; and (3) a virus that transmits widely and causes high morbidity or mortality, which would trigger full response operations. The department has run a tabletop exercise and convened an incident management team with subject‑matter experts across DPH.

San Francisco is using enhanced laboratory surveillance — subtyping influenza A specimens and testing a sample of positive influenza A specimens from hospitals and clinics — to look for H5 subtypes. The health officer also noted wastewater monitoring as a complementary signal, and said the H5 (possible H5N1) signal in the city’s wastewater remains very low.

Philip said vaccine development and stockpile discussions are ongoing at the federal level; she reported there is a national stockpile of doses reserved but that those have not been federally released for wide use as of the briefing. She also said antiviral treatment (oseltamivir) has so far been effective in reported cases and that DPH is planning distribution scenarios should treatment supplies become constrained.

The department emphasized that San Francisco’s one detected case produced no evidence of person‑to‑person transmission after extensive follow‑up. Nonetheless, Philip said influenza viruses mutate and that DPH will continue monitoring, preparing for multiple scenarios and updating the commission as needed.

Source: Presentation by Dr. Susan Philip, San Francisco Health Officer, March 3, 2025, San Francisco Health Commission meeting.","San Francisco Health Officer Dr. Susan Philip updated the Health Commission on H5N1 avian influenza: as of Feb. 26 the U.S. had 70 confirmed human cases (38 in California), more than 12,000 wild‑bird detections and major impacts to U.S. dairy herds. San Francisco detected one case via enhanced surveillance; no onward transmission was found.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

San Francisco Health Commission honors outgoing DPH Director Grant Colfax as Daniel Tsai begins tenure

Votes at a glance: Health Commission approves tribute to Colfax, two EPIC gifts and consent calendar

Laguna Honda Hospital finances remain under pressure; public commenters urge accountability for decertification and recovery costs

San Francisco public‑health officials say H5N1 risk to general public remains low after one local case