Quality Correctional Health Care recently announced two corporate promotions.
QCHCMarch 12, 2010
Jerry Gurley, M.D., has been named Medical Director for QCHC. An experienced physician with more than thirty-five years of experience in private practice, Dr. Gurley brings a plethora of clinical and management skills to QCHC. He will work closely with Dr. Johnny Bates, formulating medical protocol and procedures for all QCHC contract sites as well as providing on-site physician services.
Mike Haley, Ph.D., has been named Vice President. Mike will direct the daily operations of QCHC, including planning and development. A veteran corrections administrator with more than thirty-five years of experience, he has served as administrator of both large and small jails, Director of Jail Services for the Alabama Sheriffs' Association and Commissioner of Corrections for the State of Alabama. He will work closely with Dr. Bates and the entire QCHC staff as well as law enforcement and corrections agencies throughout the QCHC service area.
County abandoned by inmate healthcare provider finds replacement
QCHCDecember 17, 2009
Quality Correctional Healthcare, a leading provider of correctional healthcare services to county detention centers, announced that it has signed a 1 year contract with the White County Sheriff's Department in Sparta, Tennessee.
QCHC will provide comprehensive healthcare services to include medical, dental and mental health to an inmate population of 160.
Detention Healthcare Associates formerly provided services to the county jail, but their sudden unexpected departure left the county without an inmate healthcare provider for several weeks.
"We look forward to the opportunity to serve White County, Tennessee, and we pledge to provide the county with quality, reliable, cost effective healthcare," commented Dr. Johnny Bates, CEO.
This is the second contract awarded to QCHC in Tennessee within the past year. The first contract was awarded in June 2009 by the Bradley County Jail located in Cleveland, Tennessee.
QCHC looks forward to being the premier inmate healthcare provider in the state of Tennessee.
High-tech health in jail
Chattanooga Times Free PressThursday, Sept. 17, 2009
CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- The Alabama company that provides health care at the Bradley County Justice Center unveiled an electronic records system Wednesday that officials said will increase security in the jail medical area while improving efficiency.
Quality Correctional Health Care trained jail nurses Tuesday and Wednesday to use the new system.
Michele Terry, QCHC director of quality assurance, was at the jail Wednesday on a routine site visit. She explained the records system and watched the training session.
"Nurses are able to come here to the computer, type the patient's name in, and then the screen will prompt them to the medications, and they will pull those medications out," she said, standing in front of a computer screen and keyboard beside a cabinet of unmarked drawers.
Each of the cabinet drawers has a type of medication inside, Ms. Terry said, and are unmarked for security reasons.
"It's a great system. It helps to remove a lot of human error. It cuts down our medication pass time from about four hours to one hour," she said. "So it saves a lot of nurses' time and allows them to see a lot of other patients who are sick."
The Bradley County Justice Center houses local, state and federal inmates, all of whom are covered by the medical records system. According to the Sheriff's Department Web site, the Corrections Unit had 417 inmates Tuesday, including 242 local, 79 state and 96 federal.
QCHC founder Johnny E. Bates, who was at the jail Wednesday to see about 40 inmate patients, said the system maintains health records and medication needs for each patient. Nurses spend less time administering medicines, which increases security and safety, he said.
The records also can follow inmates to other institutions or to hospitals, he said.
Dr. Bates said the typical inmate is older these days, creating more health care needs.
A comprehensive tracking system for medicine also can reduce lawsuits, he said.
"We can track medications and ensure they got the correct medication," Dr. Bates said. "It also goes through the pharmacy. A pharmacist has to approve the medication. So that gives added assurance. So yes, it improves patient safety."
The system allows the pharmacist in Nashville and Dr. Bates, who lives in Birmingham, Ala., to monitor individual patients in Bradley County.
QCHC's contract with the county began in July following an intensive search by the county for an inmate health care provider.
The company offers inmates 24-hour care seven days a week, said Sheriff Tim Gobble, so fewer inmates must go off-site after hours for care, such as to a hospital emergency room.
view articleSheriff pleased with new inmate medical coverage
Cleveland Daily BannerWednesday, July 29, 2009
About one month into the new inmate medical contract with Quality Correctional Health Care Inc., Bradley County Sheriff Tim Gobble said the new contract is "going very well."
The policy provides around the clock care to inmates with an on-site medical staff on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is anticipated to save Bradley County taxpayers money in the future, according to Gobble.
"So far it's been going very well. We haven't received any complaints. The contract is providing adequate level of care to inmates. The on-call and on-site doctors, nurses and dentists are very professional and doing a good job," Gobble said.
Local and state inmates in the actual physical custody of the facility and corrections officers who need first-aid in the event of an emergency are covered with the contract.
Inmates who are on any type of work release, temporary leave or pass are not covered under the policy. By state law, the sheriff's office is required to provide these inmates medical treatment. These expenses are paid for by the sheriff's office. Also, inmates who require medications for illnesses or diseases such as HIV, cancer, kidney dialysis, anti-psychotic medicines and hepatitis are not covered under the contract. These medications are paid for by the sheriff's office.
"When it comes to medical issues and inmates you are generally not dealing with the healthiest segment of people. It can make it hard to budget because you can't anticipate who is being brought in and what they may have," he said.
Federal inmates medical expenses are billed directly to the federal government, according to Gobble.
The new inmate medical contract was instituted July 1 and will extend coverage for inmates until June 30, 2010.
The contract is based upon a facility which houses, on average, 408 inmates monthly. The monthly cost of the policy is $52,598.87 ($631.186.40 annually).
According to the sheriff, the new inmate medical contract is more expensive than contracts in years past; however, because the contract offers 24-hour coverage, he is anticipating fewer off-site and emergency room visits for inmates which greatly increase medical costs.
"It was felt the 24-hour service would save money in the long run. With the on-site medical staff we're anticipating much fewer inmate visits to the emergency room or off-site facilities. It all remains to be seen but that's the thought behind it all," said Gobble.
The contract also provides training in CPR, suicide prevention and Sudden Custody Death Syndrome for correction officers.
"This will be in addition to the training our deputies already receive," Gobble said.
Gobble said SkyRidge Medical Center has also helped taxpayers save by reducing the cost the sheriff's office pays for inmates brought to the hospital by 60 percent.
"I want to commend SkyRidge Medical for giving the sheriff's office this reduction and the mayor was very instrumental in helping secure that benefit to taxpayers," he said.
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City of Montgomery Selects Quality Correctional Health Care, QCHC, To Manage Correctional Health Care At The City Jail
City of MontgomeryWednesday, July 17, 2009
Montgomery, AL: Mayor Todd Strange announced today that the City of Montgomery has selected
Quality Correctional Health Care, QCHC, to provide health care for the city's inmates. The
Birmingham based company specializes in correctional health care in county and city jails in the south.
"We are pleased to partner with QCHC because of their track record for saving money in
correctional health care. I am aware of a huge savings with the Montgomery County Jail when the
commission hired QCHC 3 years ago. During the first year as the new medical provider, records show
QCHC saved the county $300,000 in correctional health care expenses," said Mayor Strange.
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Bradley County Jail Awards Medical Services Contract to QCHC of Birmingham, AL
June 2, 2009
"We are honored to become the new team partner with the Sheriff and his staff at the Bradley County Jail," says QCHC CEO Dr. Johnny Bates
Birmingham, AL QCHC, Quality Correctional Health Care has been awarded a major contract to provide correctional health care services for more than 400 inmates at the Bradley County Jail in Cleveland, TN, according to company officials at the Birmingham, AL based firm.
The Bradley County Commission voted Monday night to award the contract after an internal review committee recommended that QCHC become the new medical services provider. The vote was unanimous. QCHC will begin the new contract on July 1st.
"QCHC is honored to become the new team partner with Sheriff Tim Gobble and his staff at the Bradley County Jail," says QCHC CEO Dr. Johnny Bates. "We are ready to begin a solid relationship to provide quality medical services for the inmates and excellent customer service for the staff," says Bates.
QCHC has more than 25 years of correctional medical services experience. Dr. Bates began his medical career taking care of inmates and has a passion for providing quality health care for inmates. "Our company knows and understands inmate health care. That, we believe makes the difference in providing quality and complete health care in the corrections industry."
Dr. Bates began QCHC in 2005. He holds several key certifications including MMM, CPE, CCHP, CPMIMS.
"We are excited about the opportunity to work with the sheriff and his staff at the Bradley County Jail. We believe we will be able to run an efficient medical services operation that will save taxpayer dollars in today's health care environment," says Dr. Bates. "We bring the experience of knowing how to save money, how to find healthcare discounts whenever possible and how to manage jail facilities."
National Sheriff Association Annual Conference and Exhibition
QCHC will be exhibiting at the National Sheriff Association Annual Conference and Exibition in booth #2000 being held in Fort Lauderdale, FL June 22nd - June 23rd. view photos
Program helps mentally ill criminals, inmates
Montgomery Advertiser
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
The impetus for the Montgomery Mental Health Court came seven years ago when an 18-year-old woman stood, shaking and crying hysterically, in Circuit Court Judge Tracy McCooey's courtroom. The woman, who had been diagnosed with bipolar schizophrenia, was there on a first-degree robbery charge. McCooey knew that imprisonment would not bring about positive results. If anything, she knew the woman would come out of prison worse off than she was when she went in. So McCooey contacted the robbery victim, an 85-year-old woman, and asked her how she felt about her offender being the first participant in a mental health court program. The victim agreed, and McCooey started meeting with the 18-year-old after hours outside the courthouse.
"I was not a mental health expert ... or a psychiatrist, a therapist, a counselor. But I knew we had to start somewhere to get anything done," McCooey said. The program has grown gradually over the years and now has 41 participants. McCooey held a news conference Monday to showcase the program. Because of the program's slow evolution, McCooey did not know how many had successfully been through the program. But she pointed out that the 18-year-old bipolar schizophrenic has graduated from Troy University and is getting married.
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Homewood eyes inmate care deal
The Birmingham NewsMonday, June 9, 2008
Homewood police officers may have more time to patrol the streets if the city agrees on a proposal to hire a company to treat sick jail inmates. Officers now interrupt duties to drive inmates to Cooper Green Mercy Hospital, wait there until they are examined, and usually drive them back to jail. Most are not admitted. The City Council is expected to vote tonight on a proposal to enter a contract with a medical services company that would send health care professionals to the jail to treat inmates. The council meets at 6 at City Hall.
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Prison profits: City company grows with jail contracts
Birmingham Business JournalFriday, May 23, 2008
A Birmingham firm is locking up county inmate health care contracts across Alabama and plotting rapid expansion.
Quality Correctional Health Care Inc. was launched in 2005 by Dr. Johnny Bates as a company that provides health services to prisoners. Bates' experience as an inmate physician convinced him he could provide the care more efficiently.
After landing its first contract with Colbert County three years ago, Quality Correctional has accrued $2.3 million in contracts, including three signed with Alabama counties in the past six months.
Its clients include Montgomery, Autauga, Marion and Cleburne counties. Bates' company started with five employees and now has 30. Quality Correctional is negotiating with three more counties in Alabama and is eyeing expansion into Mississippi and Tennessee, Bates said.
Quality Correctional has saved Montgomery County $300,000 since it secured a $1.6 million contract in April 2007, a county official said. Scott Kramer, risk manager of the Montgomery County Commission, said Bates' firm has relieved correctional personnel of transportation duties, which allows them to focus on their primary responsibilities in the jail.
The Montgomery County jail was built for 300 inmates but houses 550. Kramer said overcrowding puts a strain on officers who are needed at the facility - not taking inmates to emergency rooms.
"That's extremely important," Kramer said. "We're already over capacity. It's crucial, especially as we expand, that we use the correctional officers for what they were trained to do."
Kramer said Quality Correctional has cut inmate health care costs by 20 percent over the county's previous vendor. Savings have come from onsite treatment, cutting overtime for security officers who transport and stay with inmates during hospital visits and using single-drug mental health therapies instead of multiple drugs to treat psychiatric patients, Kramer said.
Bates said Quality Correctional has trimmed offsite travel by 95 percent for the Montgomery facility.
Registered and licensed practical nurses are based in Montgomery, Autauga, Marion, Colbert and Marion counties, according to Quality Correctional's Director of Sales and Marketing Jeff Bates. He said his brother, Johnny, rotates between the county jails during the week performing physicals, providing medication and evaluating inmate health concerns.
Montgomery and Cleburne County officials said Quality Correctional earned their contracts by delivering revenue saving measures.
"They were cheaper than the other company we were looking at," Cleburne County Commission Chairman Ryan Robertson said.
"Our sheriff was comfortable with him. They were able to meet our needs with a price we could afford."
Cleburne County agreed to a $4,342 a month contract with Quality Correctional last month. Robertson said Bates' company eases the strain put on correctional officers at the county's 90-inmate capacity jail.
He said officers are not trained to determine if an inmate is faking illness but having a nurse on site can eliminate unnecessary hospital visits.
"We have a limited amount of deputies and correctional officers," Robertson said. "It's good to have someone there that can call their bluff. A trip to the hospital is a good break for them, but it is really costly. Having someone on campus cuts our liability."
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