NCJ Number
62524
Date Published
1978
Length
6 pages
Annotation
SEVEN MODEL HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEMS IN JAILS SURVEYED BY THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION ARE DESCRIBED, NOTING EACH APPROACH TO THE PROVISION OF JAIL HEALTH SERVICES.
Abstract
ONE HEALTH DELIVERY SYSTEM, WHICH TARGETS AN AVERAGE OF 20 INMATES A DAY FOR TREATMENT, EMPLOYS A LOCAL COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT PHYSICIAN AND A LOCAL NURSE, TO PROVIDE MEDICAL SERVICES FOR INMATES. SECONDARY AND TERTIARY SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY THE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL. ANOTHER MODEL TARGETS AN AVERAGE DAILY JAIL POPULATION OF 35 INMATES, WITH THE COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER/PHYSICIAN AND A COUNTY NURSE ASSIGNED TO THE JAIL. COMMUNICABLE DISEASE TESTS AND THE COLLECTION OF OTHER HEALTH APPRAISAL DATA ARE PERFORMED BY THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT. PHYSICIAN SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY A HOSPITAL PHYSICIAN GROUP UPON REFERRAL BY THE COUNTY NURSE. THE MEDICAL LIAISON OFFICER (A CORRECTIONAL OFFICER), WHO HAS EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN TRAINING, COORDINATES THE HEALTH CARE ACTIVITIES. A THIRD MODEL HANDLES 157 INMATES AND CONTRACTS WITH A GROUP OF HOUSE OFFICERS (RESIDENT PHYSICIANS-IN-TRAINING) FROM THE UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOL AND A FULL-TIME JAIL NURSE TO COORDINATE HEALTH SERVICES. A FOURTH MODEL SERVES 1,800 INMATES. THE MEDICAL SECTION OF THE JAIL HAS A RECEIVING, DIAGNOSTIC, AND CLASSIFICATION CENTER; A HOSPITAL WARD; A CLINICAL AREA; A MEDICAL RECORDS SECTION; AND A SHELTERED WARD. PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE IS PROVIDED BY A PHYSICIANS' ASSOCIATES GROUP UNDER CONTRACT. ANOTHER MODEL SERVES 410 INMATES THROUGH A LICENSED COMMUNITY PHYSICIAN AND REGISTERED NURSES. A SIXTH MODEL SERVES AN AVERAGE DAILY JAIL POPULATION OF 1.5 INMATES AND EMPLOYS A CONTRACT PHYSICAN WHO OWNS A HEALTH CLINIC IN A NEARBY TOWN. THE FINAL MODEL SERVES AN AVERAGE OF 2.9 INMATES A DAY, WITH HEALTH SERVICES DIRECTED BY A LOCAL PHYSICIAN. HEALTH CARE IS PROVIDED BY A REGIONAL HEALTH CENTER NEAR THE JAIL AND A COMMUNITY HOSPITAL.