Allegheny County Jail's medical care switch paying off so far
No inmates have died at the Allegheny County Jail since the county six months ago took over medical care from private medical services provider Corizon Health, which had 11 inmate deaths in two years.
Allegheny County officials said they've increased staff, decreased trips to outside medical facilities and improved pharmacy services at the jail, the county manager, medical officials from the jail and the warden said in interviews with the Tribune-Review.
“We haven't been receiving the kind of complaints that we used to,” said Controller Chelsa Wager, a member of the county Jail Oversight Board and a critic of Corizon and the county's contract with the Tennessee-based company.
In a statement, a Corizon spokeswoman said the company is pleased the transition to the new medical provider has gone smoothly.
Executive Rich Fitzgerald announced in May that Corizon was out at the jail, saying the company had not met the county's expectations. The county partnered with Allegheny Health Network to take over medical care Sept. 1.
“We opened a hospital in a couple of months,” Warden Orlando Harper said. “We are providing quality health care to our inmates. The transition has gone well, and I'm sure it's going to get even better for the inmates that are housed in our facility.”
The Allegheny County Jail Health Justice Project, however, remains critical of medical care at the jail and intends to keep a close eye on it, said Julia Johnson, one of the group's organizers. Johnson wouldn't give specifics but said her group is still hearing about inmates not receiving medication or proper care. The group is surveying current and former inmates.
“From what we have heard and what we know is happening at the jail, we are extremely disturbed and concerned about the safety of people incarcerated at the Allegheny County Jail,” Johnson said.
A request by the Tribune-Review to tour the medical facilities at the jail was denied because of health privacy concerns.
The county partnered with AHN for doctors, administrators, specialists and other medical personnel. Nurses, who were Corizon employees and had organized under the United Steelworkers union during Corizon's contract, are county employees.
Wayne Ranick, a USW spokesman, said there have been “bumps along the way” as the jail transitioned from Corizon to the county.
A contract between the county and jail nurses is awaiting signatures, said Amie Downs, a county spokeswoman.
Wagner has concerns about the level of staffing within the jail's medical facilities. The jail uses pre-approved contractors to temporarily fill any vacancies, said Lesli Travis, who heads medical care at the jail. The county funds nearly 115 full-time equivalent employees, while Corizon contracted for about 98, Travis said.
“We're able to see a greater number of patients, and we're able to see them in a timely manner,” said Dr. Bill Johnjulio, chair of family medicine for AHN.
Corizon was plagued by staffing troubles and complaints about inmates not getting proper medications. A scathing audit from Wagner's office said Corizon had “ripped off” taxpayers and put the health of inmates and employees at risk.
Corizon noted that not all the inmates who died were under the company's care. Some died after being transferred to other medical facilities. At least one died in a halfway house after being released from jail.
At least 13 lawsuits have been filed against Corizon. Most name the county, Fitzgerald, Harper and other officials.
It is unclear who could be liable if someone were to sue under the county and AHN arrangement, said Andrew Szefi, the county's solicitor.
An insurance policy the county obtained provides a total of $7 million of coverage a year for an annual premium of $232,000.
Mary Soroka, the county's budget director, said the county has spent about $4.9 million on jail health care in six months. It budgeted $10.3 million for Corizon's contract for 2015.
This year, the jail budget increased to $75.9 million, $3.9 million more than in 2015. Fitzgerald said about $3 million of that would go toward medical care at the jail.
The jail employs about 616 people. It can house up to 3,156 inmates but averages about 2,700 inmates. More than 15,000 inmates came through the jail in 2015. Every person processed through the jail is seen by medical personnel, Harper said.
It has a clinic for routine doctor visits and an infirmary for more serious medical needs. Inmates with medical issues beyond what the jail's facilities can handle are taken to an AHN hospital.
The number of transports to outside medical facilities has decreased 20 percent since the county took over, from 106 transports in September to 85 in January. AHN doctors also visit the jail to fill needs as they arise.
“Their bench strength has helped us in many ways as issues have come up,” said county Manager William McKain.
Aaron Aupperlee is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 412-320-7986 or aaupperlee@tribweb.com.
