For routine medical appointments, medical staff, including a physician, monitors the facility’s inmates throughout the week and operate our in-house infirmary as needed for inmate appointments.
An inmate may bring prescription medications with them to use while being incarcerated. The prescription medications must be prescribed to the inmate and be in the original container with the prescription label attached. The prescription must not be expired. (Certain medications prescribed to patients outside of the jail may not be prescribed by jail medical staff as the Washington State Department of Corrections Medication Formulary is followed. To maintain some prescriptions inside the facility, the prescription must be filled and paid for by an outside provider.)
In-house clinic appointments are requested by inmates using a medical request form. Although this is an in-house clinic, appointments must be requested and are scheduled by medical staff after reviewing the medical request. Medical staff review all medical requests. Corrections medical staff communicate with Corrections staff throughout the week and may adjust medications as necessary. Corrections medical staff will contact the inmate’s personal doctor for consultation if needed. (HIPPA is followed in this facility.)
The Corrections medical staff will be the inmate’s primary provider while they are incarcerated. Inmates may not make an appointment for medical care with an outside medical provider without prior approval of the Corrections medical staff while incarcerated in this facility. If an inmate has a medical appointment scheduled prior to incarceration, it is the responsibility of the inmate to notify Corrections staff of the appointment. Medical staff will be advised of the appointment for review or referral. The medical staff may consult with the inmate’s regular physician if needed, however, Corrections jail medical staff are responsible for writing all orders for care while the inmate is in the facility.
Medications are normally dispensed four times a day. Inmates are responsible for insuring the medications are the correct medication and correct dosage prior to taking them. The officer will check to see if the medication is consumed prior to bringing the inmate back to the cell.
The jail will provide common over-the-counter medication if requested. Certain over-the-counter medications will be made available if medical staff determines it is needed. Inmates are not charged for Medical, Psychiatric, or Dental services if they have no insurance. However if an inmate has medical coverage, the insurance provider may be billed for any medical services provided or requested.
Medical service which could be billed to an insurance provider:
- Medical screening at the time of arrest prior to booking.
- Life threatening medical of psychiatric emergencies not associated to being incarcerated.
- Care for serious or chronic medical conditions.
- Physical exams.
- Follow-up and continuation of recent and ongoing medical care started by a doctor or other practitioner prior to being booked into jail.
- Pregnancy related services.
- Treatment of sexually transmitted disease.
If the inmate needs care, they will be seen by medical staff even if they have no money or insurance.