“Thank you, I haven’t seen a doctor in 5 years.”, says the inmate to one of our nurses. This situation is an unfortunate reality for a vast percentage of the population we care for. CorrHealth’s patients come from various backgrounds, often exposed to conditions where injury, illness, and little to no medical access are common. Regardless of their circumstances, we have a duty and responsibility to “Do Right” and deliver quality healthcare to all.
For those patients who have not received medical or mental healthcare in years, the intake screening process is imperative. It is our first opportunity to assess an inmate patient’s overall health. After finalizing the intake screening, medical issues may be revealed, some may be previously unknown to the patient. A thorough screening helps our medical professionals understand how to properly treat this patient and recognize the referrals needed for complete patient care.
Once the patient is assessed; they can be started on medications right away or at any time necessary while incarcerated. For example, suppose an inmate patient is identified as having high blood pressure during incarceration. In that case, the medical team will establish a healthcare visit with the Provider, confirm with blood pressure checks, and ultimately develop a plan of care that will include monitoring and possibly medications.
Delivering compassionate and comprehensive healthcare is our profession, and part of that includes educating our patients on their health conditions. Our medical staff spend significant time educating their inmate patients to be better prepared to take their own steps towards appropriate and routine healthcare once released from jail.
Before their release, our discharge planning team meets with the patient to answer any questions, set up follow-up care, provide community resources, and help prepare medication arrangements. In preparation for their release and depending on the detention center, the patient may receive a limited supply of necessary medications to continue treating their health condition. This provision gives the patient sufficient time to follow up with their own choice of provider.
We at CorrHealth are there for the patient from intake to discharge, and we believe that every person deserves access to high-quality, compassionate healthcare. Our tenured and passionate healthcare teams deliver the highest level of medical, behavioral, ancillary, and community care programs and services focused on successfully reintegrating inmates upon release into the communities we so proudly serve.