UCSO wants 24/7 nursing
By Terry Murry on Monday, February 20th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
UMATILLA COUNTY – The Umatilla County Board of Commissioners will consider granting a request from the jail that it be allowed to contract for around-the-clock nursing services. Currently, the jail has 9-to-5 service, but must utilize St. Anthony Hospital after 5 p.m. for all medical issues involving inmates.
Chairman Dan Dorran, who is the liaison for the sheriff’s office, thinks it’s a great idea that could save money.
“Every time they take a trip to the hospital it has the opportunity to have a major impact not just on the sheriff’s budget but on the county’s budget,” Dorran said.
The jail has negotiated discounted rates from St. Anthony, but Dorran is convinced contracting for an around-the-clock nursing service would be less expensive. Its estimated cost is about $300,000 a year.
Dorran said many people don’t realize that the county has to foot medical bills for all of the inmates at the jail.
“Inmates lose their Medicare, Social Security, and any insurance program that they had coming in,” he said. “It’s a big fight at the federal level and the state level this year to get that changed, but we are on the hook for any and all medical expenses.”
