KPMG tells supervisors to tighten finance, data and contract practices at Health Agency

KPMG told the Board its review of the Health Agency identified dozens of opportunities to improve fiscal and operational performance, and presented a prioritized set of high‑impact actions. Bill Zizek, the partner leading KPMG’s government‑efficiency practice, summarized the recommendations: standardize financial reporting and variance analysis, strengthen grant and allocation processes, centralize data and analytics, set utilization targets, and implement a contract management system to reduce manual workload and improve oversight.

KPMG also offered three paths for the public‑health laboratory—maintain status quo and report general‑fund reliance annually, deepen collaborations with hospitals and clinics to increase volumes, or study a regional laboratory model. The report is a 200‑plus page document; Health Agency Director Nick Drews said he agrees with its broad findings, described actions the agency has already begun, and said the agency will return with a statement of work for items requiring external resources. “This report gives us a framework and, importantly, a moment to move those ideas forward,” Drews said. Several supervisors asked the administrative office and the Health Agency to return with an implementation roadmap and periodic progress updates.