Calif. OIG Says Medical Care ‘Inadequate’ at Third California Prison

On Tuesday, the state Office of Inspector General in a report said that medical services at California State Prison Solano are "inadequate," the Los Angeles Times reports (St. John, Los Angeles Times, 12/22).

The prison is the third facility this year to receive a failing grade for its health care services (Thompson, AP/Sacramento Bee, 12/22).

Background

In 2006, U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson ruled that federal oversight of the state's prison health care system was needed after determining that an average of one inmate per week died as a result of medical malpractice or neglect.

So far this year, the California inspector general has given passing grades to medical programs at three correctional facilities:

• The California Rehabilitation Center in Norco, which passed in July;
• The Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, which passed in June; and
• Folsom State Prison, which passed in April.

Meanwhile, OIG has found inadequate medical services at two other facilities:

• California Correctional Center in Susanville; and
• North Kern State Prison (California Healthline, 10/26).

Details of Report

California State Prison Solano in Vacaville houses more than 3,800 medium-security inmates (AP/Sacramento Bee, 12/22).

The inspection was conducted in June and July and included:

• A review of administrative systems; and
• Medical case files of 62 inmates.

In addition to inadequate medical care, OIG found:

• Delays in providing care and follow-up exams (Los Angeles Times, 12/22);
• A lack of basic medical equipment and supplies;
• Issues with recordkeeping;
• Inadequate space for examinations and a lack of private rooms; and
• Unsanitary conditions in most clinics.

The report did not cite any deaths as a direct result of the poor care (AP/Sacramento Bee, 12/22).

According to the report, two providers were responsible for a significant number of cases in which medical care was deemed inadequate. Both have been dismissed from the prison (Los Angeles Times, 12/22).

Joyce Hayhoe -- a spokesperson for the federal receiver's office, which currently oversees the state's prison health care -- said many of the issues at the prison have been resolved since the investigation was conducted (AP/Sacramento Bee, 12/22).