Contractor may provide jail nursing services
Published 2:38 pm Wednesday, March 19, 2014
A Colorado corporation could provide nursing services to Clallam County Jail inmates under a one-year $198,000 contract to be considered by the county commissioners on April 6.
Jail Superintendent Ron Sukert said a lot of jails and prisons nationwide are using private contractors such as Correctional Healthcare Management Inc., but Clallam is the first county in Washington.
“It’s a cost control measure, it’s purely economic. There’s an expectation there will not be a decline in the quality of care. It’s just a better bang for the taxpayers’ buck,†he said.
The county sent out a request for proposals after Olympic Medical Center said it would charge $264,000 for 2010 nursing services. OMC didn’t bid on the contract.
Correctional Healthcare Management Inc. was established in Colorado in June 2006. It provides health care at more than 70 jails and prisons in 11 Western states.
It also has assisted numerous jails and prisons in obtaining or maintaining accreditation from the American Correctional Association or National Commission on Correctional Healthcare.
Reach Brian Gawley at bgawley@sequimgazette.com.
