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| Funds Saved for Tenn. Jail Drugs |
| By Winchester Herald Chronicle |
| Published: 12/24/2002 |
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While many surrounding county jails in Tennessee are suffering from the high cost of medicine, the Franklin County Jail is saving money. The state comptroller's office shows that Tennessee has the nation's highest rate of prescription drugs in the nation. The comptroller's officer notes that many jails are not buying in a cost-effective manner. The state officials say that because the jails buy individually they are unable to use collective purchasing. But that is not the case here in Franklin County, according to Jail Administrator Capt. Beth Rhoton. She noted that the prescriptions used are purchased from a wholesaler and that the jail saved approximately $10,000 last year by doing so. 'We fax them the order by 5 p.m. and it is delivered the next morning by 10 a.m.,' Rhoton explained. 'The prescriptions are prepackaged with the individual doses which prevents any over medication by the correction officer.' Rhoton explained that before switching to the drug wholesaler she shopped around trying to find the best deal for the 'taxpayers of the county.' Rhoton said, 'I feel like a savings of $10,000 is a good deal for the tax dollar.' Rhoton explained that some inmates might be booked into the jail with a cold, flu or the like and they just can't afford to a trip to the doctor. She explained that the jail maintains a supply of antibiotics, which are dispensed by the Jail Nurse on the instructions of the Jail doctor, Gursheel Dhillon. Many jails are reporting that they are spending up to $1,000 a month per inmate for AIDS medication, but that is not the case with the Franklin County Jail. 'We are paying $700 per inmate and that medication also comes prepackaged,' Rhoton explained. A national study suggests that jails should take steps to reduce the cost of prescriptions for inmates. The report recommends that stronger legislation to promote the usage of generic drugs, creation of an interagency committee to study and improve prescription drug purchasing practices at state and local government levels and implementation of disease management and cost sharing in state employee health plans. |
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