HomeMy WebLinkAboutContinuity of Care During IncarcerationIdaho
Department of
Correction
Standard
Operating
Procedure
Title:
Continuity of Care During Incarceration
Page:
1 of 5
Control Number:
401.06.03.044
Version:
3.0
Adopted:
03-11-1999
IDOC Data Sensitivity Classification - L3 Restricted
Pat Donaldson, chief of the Management Services Division, approved this
document on 06/15/2015.
Open to the public: Yes
SCOPE
This standard operating procedure (SOP) applies to all Idaho Department of Correction
(IDOC) healthcare services staff, offenders, contract medical providers and subcontractors.
Revision Summary
Revision date (06/15/2015) version 3.0: Update to new format, update content throughout to
reflect current national standards.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Clinical Practice ........................................................................................................... 3
2. Diagnostic Tests .......................................................................................................... 3
3. Treatment Plans .......................................................................................................... 4
4. Specialty Consultation ................................................................................................. 4
5. Upon Return ................................................................................................................ 4
6. Compliance .................................................................................................................. 4
BOARD OF CORRECTION IDAPA RULE NUMBER 401
Medical Care
POLICY CONTROL NUMBER 401
Clinical Services and Treatment
Control Number:
401.06.03.044
Version:
3.0
Title:
Continuity of Care During Incarceration
Page Number:
2 of 5
Idaho Department of Correction
PURPOSE
The purpose of this standard operating procedure (SOP) is to ensure that patients receive
health services and follow-up in keeping with providers’ recommendations, orders and
evidence-based practices while providing a continuum of care from intake to discharge.
RESPONSIBILITY
Health Authority
The health authority is responsible for:
• Monitoring and overseeing all aspects of healthcare services, and
• The implementation and continued practice of the provisions provided in this
SOP.
When healthcare services are privatized, he will also be responsible for:
• Reviewing and approving (prior to implementation) all applicable contract medical
provider policy, procedure, and forms; and
• Monitoring the contract medical provider’s performance, to include but not limited
to reviewing processes, procedures, forms, and protocols employed by the
contract medical provider to ensure compliance with all healthcare-related
requirements provided in respective contractual agreements, this SOP, and in
National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) standard P-E-12,
Continuity of Care During Incarceration. (See section 2 of this SOP.)
Contract Medical Provider
When healthcare services are privatized, the contract medical provider is responsible
for:
• Implementing and practicing all provisions of this SOP, unless specifically
exempted by written contractual agreements;
• Ensuring that all aspects of this SOP and NCCHC standard P-E-12 are
addressed by applicable contract medical provider policy and procedure;
• Ensuring facility health authorities utilize all applicable contract medical provider
policy, procedure, forms, and educational information to fulfill all healthcare-
related requirements provided in this SOP, NCCHC standard P-E-12, or as
indicated in their respective contractual agreement(s); and
• Ensuring all applicable contract medical provider policy, procedure, and forms
are submitted to the health authority for review and approval prior to
implementation.
Note: Nothing in this SOP shall be construed to relieve the contract medical provider(s)
of any obligation and/or responsibility stipulated in respective contractual agreements.
Facility Medical Director
The facility medical director will be responsible for:
• Ensuring the presence of an adequate number of appropriately trained staff and
materials are available to meet the requirements of this SOP;
Control Number:
401.06.03.044
Version:
3.0
Title:
Continuity of Care During Incarceration
Page Number:
3 of 5
Idaho Department of Correction
• Establishing and monitoring processes to ensure that (a) clinical staff follows
consultant recommendations, or (b), if a treatment plan is developed which
differs from the consultant recommendations, sufficient justification for the
alternative treatment plan is documented in the offender's healthcare record.
In addition, to the above responsibilities, the facility medical director and facility health
authority (or designees) will be jointly responsible for training staff and establishing
contract medical provider procedures and systems of control to ensure that healthcare
services staff are appropriately trained to perform the duties described in this SOP.
Facility Health Authority
The facility health authority will be responsible for:
• Ensuring the presence of an adequate number of appropriately trained staff and
materials are available to meet the requirements of this SOP;
• Establishing and monitoring applicable contract medical provider policy and
procedure to ensure that all elements of this SOP and NCCHC standard P-E-12
are accomplished as required;
• Ensuring that the continuous quality improvement (CQI) process (see SOP
401.06.03.006, Continuous Quality Improvement Program) includes methods for
tracking timeliness of the response to sick call requests, offender concern forms,
and grievances (see SOP 316.02.01.001, Grievance and Informal Resolution
Procedure for Offenders);
• Establishing and monitoring applicable contract medical provider policies,
procedures, and systems of control to eliminate ‘no-shows,’ (i.e., incidents in
which offenders fail to appear for healthcare services appointments), and for
ensuring the process for eliminating no-shows is identified in SOP
401.06.03.006, Continuous Quality Improvement Program.
• Monitoring the correctional facilities’ callout system (and other methods for
notifying offenders of healthcare appointments) to ensure that all such methods
are effective tools for reducing ‘no-shows’.
In addition, to the above responsibilities, the facility health authority and the facility medical
director (or designee) will be jointly responsible for training staff and establishing contract
medical provider procedures and systems of control to ensure that healthcare services staff
are appropriately trained to perform the duties described in this SOP.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
1. Clinical Practice
Clinician orders are evidence based and are implemented in a timely manner. Deviations
from standards of practice are clinically justified, documented, and shared with the
patient.
2. Diagnostic Tests
Diagnostic tests are reviewed by the provider in a timely manner. Test results are shared
and discussed with the patient.
Control Number:
401.06.03.044
Version:
3.0
Title:
Continuity of Care During Incarceration
Page Number:
4 of 5
Idaho Department of Correction
3. Treatment Plans
Treatment plans are modified as clinically indicated by diagnostic tests and treatment
results. Treatment plans are shared and discussed with the patient.
4. Specialty Consultation
Recommendations from specialty consultations are reviewed and acted upon by the
provider in a timely manner. Any changes in specialty treatment recommendations are
clinically indicated and justification for the alternative treatment plan is documented and
shared with the patient.
5. Upon Return
Patients are seen by a qualified health care professional (QHCP) upon return from a
specialty consultation, urgent care, emergency department visit, or hospitalization to
ensure proper implementation of the discharge orders and to arrange appropriate follow-
up.
6. Compliance
Compliance with this SOP and all related IDOC-approved protocols will be monitored by
the health authority (or designee) by using various sources to include: this SOP, clinical
practice guidelines, routine reports, program reviews, and record reviews.
The health authority (or designee) must conduct two (2) audits per year, per facility (or
more frequently as desired based on prior audit results). The audits must consist of
monitoring applicable contract medical provider, IDOC policy and procedures, applicable
NCCHC standards, and the review of a minimum of 15 individual records.
DEFINITIONS
Contract Medical Provider: A private company or other entity that is under contract with
the Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) to provide comprehensive medical, dental,
and/or mental health services to the IDOC’s incarcerated offender population.
Facility Health Authority: The contract medical provider employee who is primarily
responsible for overseeing the delivery of medical services in an Idaho Department of
Correction (IDOC) facility.
Facility Medical Director: The highest ranking physician in an Idaho Department of
Correction (IDOC) facility.
Health Authority: The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) employee who is primarily
responsible for overseeing or managing the IDOC’s medical services. (The health authority
is commonly referred to as the health services director.)
Qualified Health Care Professional: A physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner,
nurse, dentist, mental health professional, or other health professional who — by virtue of
his education, training, credentials, and experience — is permitted by law (within the scope
of his professional practice) to educate, train, evaluate, provide services, and care for
patients
Control Number:
401.06.03.044
Version:
3.0
Title:
Continuity of Care During Incarceration
Page Number:
5 of 5
Idaho Department of Correction
REFERENCES
National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC), Standards for Health Services
in Prisons, Standard P-E-12, Continuity and Coordination of Care During Incarceration
Standard Operating Procedure 316.02.01.001, Grievance and Informal Resolution
Procedure for Offenders
Standard Operating Procedure 401.06.03.006, Continuous Quality Improvement Program
– End of Document –