BY VIRGINIA BRIDGES : The Herald-Sun

vbridges@heraldsun.com

Feb 9, 2005 : 7:49 pm ET

 

DURHAM -- The cost of providing health care at the Durham County Jail spiked during the first half of last year but is falling now, thanks to a new infirmary and health screenings for new inmates.

 

From September to January, emergency room visits, days inmates spent in the hospital and the need for specialty consultations dropped significantly. That's according to a report the County Commissioners got Monday from Patrick Cummiskey, executive vice president of Correct Care Solutions, a Tennessee-based company specializing in medical billing for correctional institutions.

 

Last year, the county paid $2.59 million in total jail and youth home medical costs. The 10-month Correct Care contract cost the county $1.73 million. The price of a 12-month contract would be about $2.08 million.

 

Correct Care Solutions took over the health care services for the jail and Durham County Youth Home in September.

 

The change followed an especially big jump in jail health-care costs over the first six months of last fiscal year. A few patients consumed the entire budget, which was expected to take care of more than 450 inmates for the full year, health officials have said. As a result, an additional $425,000 was needed through June 30.

 

In September, Correct Care set up an eight-bed medical infirmary on the jail's second floor and started screening inmates when they check in. Medical staff members also pay daily visits to sick inmates; health evaluations are performed within 14 days of an inmate's arrival.

 

Also, nonemergency visits to off-site facilities have to be authorized in advance. All emergency visits are reviewed after the fact.

 

The goal is to provide health care in the most appropriate setting, Cummiskey said.

 

Before, for example, if an inmate had health problems and a question arose about getting treatment outside the jail, he would go. Now, health care staff members advise on taking the inmate somewhere or treating him in the infirmary.

 

September alone saw 13 emergency room visits. October to January saw 19 visits. Cummiskey said it took about 30 days for Correct Care to set up the infirmary and new programs.

 

County officials said they were pleased with the organization's performance and are entering negotiations to continue the agreement.

"We think they [CCS] have done remarkably well particularly given the very short amount of time they have had to come into the detention center," said Brian Letourneau, the county's public health director.