WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS TO TAKE UP WORKSHOP ON FUTURE OF JAIL MEDICAL SERVICES
Washington County Commissioners will hold open-session discussion on the current status and future plans for medical services at the Washington County Jail at their meeting Tuesday.
Commissioners will meet in workshop to discuss medical services for the county jail in the future, before re-opening regular session to potentially take action on the matter.
Currently, Washington County Sheriff Otto Hanak is no longer allowing Jail Medical Director Dr. Robert Stark to treat prisoners at the jail. Instead, Washington County EMS is being called to either treat prisoners at the jail, or transfer them to the emergency room at Baylor Scott and White Hospital in Brenham.
Jail medical expense records obtained from Washington County EMS, comparing January and February of 2019 and 2020, show a stark contrast in costs for EMS personnel and hospital emergency room visits.
According to numbers from 2019, EMS Director Kevin Deramus estimated the cost of 46 calls to the jail and transport of five patients to the ER at just over $5,000. According to Deramus, the average cost of a visit to the ER is over $4,000, so those five patients last year would have cost the county roughly $25,000.
Jump to this January and February, where Deramus reported 105 calls to the jail, with all 105 inmates taken to the ER. EMS personnel costs are estimated at just over $12,000, while ER costs are projected at $420,000. Combined, the cost to the county—and its taxpayers—through the first two months of 2020 is estimated at $432,000, compared to $25,000 in 2019.
This same situation existed years ago before former Jail Medical Director Dr. Stuart Yoffe revamped the way prisoners were treated for medical issues. That change brought about by Dr. Yoffe saved the county and its taxpayers through the years millions of dollars, which were being spent at the ER.
At this point, Washington County Judge John Durrenberger, Sheriff Hanak, and Dr. Stark have not commented on the situation.
Also in court, commissioners will consider:
- Appointment of a selection review committee to determine criteria to select and rate the responses to a request for proposals for grant writing and administrative services to assist Washington County in its application and administration of a contract, if awarded, for the 2020 Texas Capital Fund of the Texas Community Development Block Grant Program of the Texas Department of Agriculture to support infrastructure improvements in the county.
- Appointment of a selection review committee to determine criteria to select and rate the responses to a request for qualifications for engineering services for a 2020 Texas Capital Fund of the Texas Community Development Block Grant project, if awarded to support infrastructure improvements in the county.
- Authorizing the county clerk to issue a request for proposals for grant writing and administrative services to assist the county in its application and administration of a contract, if awarded, for the 2020 Texas Capital Fund of the Texas Community Development Block Grant Program of the Texas Department of Agriculture to support infrastructure improvements in the county.
- Authorizing the county clerk to issue a request for qualifications for engineering services for a 2020 Texas Capital Fund of the Texas Community Development Block Grant project, if awarded, to support infrastructure improvements in the county.
- Approving a pay application to Collier Construction for the Road and Bridge Facility.
- a subdivision plat for the Pax Christi Institute Subdivision fronting FM 2193 in Precinct One.
- A variance request for a land division fronting Tigerpoint Road in Precinct Four.
- Authorization for the county engineer to advertise for sealed bids for seal coating.
Commissioners will meet Tuesday morning at 9 a.m., at the Washington County Courthouse.