Computer Glitch at Utah Prisons Causes Backlog in Prescriptions
Inmates have reported missed or late doses of medication for heart conditions, cancer, HIV, and seizure disorders, along with pain medication, insulin and antipsychotics.
Landwebs
Utah’s state prisons are in crisis following a data migration to a new medical records system plagued by glitches that caused a backlog of thousands of unfilled inmate prescriptions, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. The new system, operated by corrections health tech company Fusion, was launched at the beginning of August, and corrections officials reported immediate issues with the department’s data migration. Utah Department of Corrections (UDC) director Brian Nielson said the backlog of unfilled prescriptions stood at about 4,400 as of Thursday morning, Aug 25. UDC reports a total state prison population of around 4,500.
The governor’s office, Utah’s Department of Health and Human Services and a number of local pharmacies have stepped in to help UDC with additional medical personnel and staff to correct inmate data and fill prescriptions. Wendy Parmley, director of medical and mental health policy for the Utah Prisoner Advocate Network, told The Salt Lake Tribune that impacted inmates have reported missed or late doses of medication for heart conditions, cancer, HIV and seizure disorders, along with pain medication, insulin and antipsychotics. UDC will host a meeting with updated information for the families of those incarcerated in state prisons Friday, Aug 26 at 6pm on Zoom.
