Wexford Health Sources

Wexford Health Sources, Inc. is a healthcare services company headquartered in Foster Plaza Two in Green Tree, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh.[1][2]

The Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) contracts with Wexford, and Wexford provides medical services to inmates at state-operated facilities.[3] In 2008 Steve Twedt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said that Wexford was "among the most successful local companies people never hear about," despite the fact that the former chief executive of Allegheny County, Jim Roddey, described by Twedt as "one of the region's most prominent local politicians," headed the company. As of that year the president of Wexford, Mark Hale, said that he tries to keep a low profile because the inmates the company serves are very litigious.[2]

History

Wexford opened in 1992.[2] Wexford was awarded the $95 million MDOC contract in 2006.[4]

Controversies

According to an October 2013 report by the American Friends Service Committee, Wexford has "a well published history of problems" in several states across the country. Failure to provide adequate staffing and adequate and timely medical care and charging states for more staff than the company actually provided were common complaints. The report notes that Wexford has faced fines in some of these states, "including a $12,500 fine by New Mexico’s Department of Corrections in 2006; a $106,000 fine by Ohio’s Correction Department in 2009; $50,000 by Chesapeake, Va., in 2006 for staffing shortages; three fines totaling $273,000 by Florida’s Department of Corrections in 2005 for what it described as “service-delivery issues that were resolved” before the contract’s end; and a $68,000 fine by the Broward Sheriff’s Office in Florida in 2003 for delays in providing medical services."[5]

After a six month investigation, America Tonight reported in 2014 to have found "disturbing cases of inadequate treatment, and evidence that Wexford Health Sources, the first private company Arizona contracted to provide prison health care, was aware that it was violating prisoners’ constitutional rights." One such case involved Regan Clarine, a young pregnant woman serving a two and a half year sentence for possessing a narcotic for sale who was forced to undergo a cesarean section against her wishes and when the wound opened back up in her cell, she was treated with an antiquated method using McDonald's sugar: "They decided to use sugar … like McDonald’s sugar," said Regan. "They would open it and pour it inside and put gauze over and tape it up. And I had to do that for like three weeks."[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Contact Us." Wexford Health Sources. Retrieved on August 14, 2010. "Wexford Health Sources, Inc. 425 Holiday Drive Foster Plaza Two Pittsburgh, PA 15220."
  2. 1 2 3 Twedt, Steve. "Wexford Health works with inmates." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Sunday April 12, 2009. Retrieved on August 14, 2010.
  3. ↑ "MDOC Healthcare Services." Mississippi Department of Corrections. Retrieved on July 24, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Article: Briefs: Comcast eyeing Findlay site for office space." Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. July 1, 2006. Retrieved on August 14, 2010. "Wexford Health Sources Inc of Green Tree has been awarded a $95 million three year contract to provide healthcare services to more than 14000 Mississippi..."
  5. ↑ Death yards: Continuing problems with Arizona's correctional health care. American Friends Service Committee, October 2013.
  6. ↑ Abigail Leonard and Adam May (May 28, 2014). Whistleblower: Arizona inmates are dying from inadequate health care. America Tonight. Retrieved December 30, 2014.

External links


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