Subpart 1.
Availability of resources,
general.
Under the direction of a health authority, a facility shall
develop a written policy and procedure that provides for the delivery of health
care services, including medical, dental, and mental health services.
Subp. 2.
Health care.
Medical, dental, and mental health matters involving clinical
judgments are the sole province of the responsible physician, dentist, and
psychiatrist or qualified psychologist respectively; however, security
regulations applicable to facility personnel also apply to health
personnel.
Subp. 3.
Health care policy review.
Facility policy shall ensure that each policy, procedure, and
program in the health care delivery system is reviewed and documented at least
annually under the direction of the health authority and revised as
necessary.
Subp. 4.
Emergency health care.
A facility shall develop a written policy and procedure that
requires that the facility provide 24-hour emergency care availability as
outlined in a written plan, which includes provisions for the following
arrangements:
A. emergency evacuation
of the inmate from within the facility;
B. use of an emergency medical vehicle,
available on a 24-hour basis;
C.
use of one or more designated hospital emergency rooms or other appropriate
health facilities;
D. emergency
on-call physician and dental services when the emergency health facility is not
located in a nearby community; and
E. security procedures that provide for the
immediate transfer of inmates when appropriate.
Subp. 5.
Health care liaison.
In a facility without full-time qualified health care
personnel, a designated health-trained staff member may act as liaison to
coordinate the health care delivery in the facility under the direction of the
health authority.
Subp. 6.
Medical screening.
A facility shall have a written policy and procedure that
requires medical screening is performed and recorded by trained staff on all
inmates on admission to the facility. The findings are to be recorded in a
manner approved by the health authority. The screening process shall include
procedures relating to:
A. Inquiry
into:
(1) current illness and health
problems, including dental emergencies, and other infectious
diseases;
(2) medication taken and
special health requirements;
(3)
use of alcohol and other drugs that include types of drugs used, mode of use,
amounts used, frequency used, date or time of last use, and history of problems
that may have occurred after ceasing use, for example, convulsions;
(4) past and present treatment or
hospitalization for mental illness or attempted suicide;
(5) other health problems designated by the
health authority; and
(6) signs and
symptoms of active tuberculosis to include weight loss, night sweats,
persistent cough lasting three weeks or longer, coughing up blood, low grade
fever, fatigue, chest pain, prior history of active tuberculosis disease, and
results of previous tuberculin skin or blood testing.
B. Observations of:
(1) behavior that includes state of
consciousness, mental status, appearance, conduct, tremor, and sweating;
and
(2) body deformities, trauma
markings, body piercings, bruises, lesions, and jaundice.
C. Disposition to:
(1) general population;
(2) general population and referral to
appropriate health care service;
(3) referral to appropriate health care
service on an emergency basis; and
(4) other.
Subp. 7.
Health care follow-up.
A facility shall develop written policy and procedures that
require that an inmate who presents with a chronic or persistent medical
condition be provided with a health care follow-up.
Subp. 8.
Health complaints.
A facility shall develop a written policy and procedure that
requires that inmates' health complaints are acted upon daily by health-trained
staff, followed by triage and treatment by health care personnel if
indicated.
Subp. 9.
Sick call.
A facility shall develop a written policy and procedure that
requires a continuous response to health care requests and that sick call,
conducted by a physician or other health care personnel, is available to each
inmate as follows:
A. in small
facilities of less than 60 inmates, sick call is held once per week at a
minimum;
B. in medium sized
facilities of 60 to 200 inmates, sick call is held at least three days per
week;
C. in facilities of over 200
inmates, sick call is held a minimum of five days per week; and
D. if an inmate's custody status precludes
attendance at sick call, arrangements are made to provide sick call services in
the place of the inmate's detention.
Subp. 10.
Infirmary.
Operation of an infirmary within a facility: male and female
inmates may be housed in separate rooms in a common infirmary area. Direct
staff supervision of the infirmary must be provided at all times when male and
female inmates reside in the infirmary.
Subp. 11.
Examinations.
Examinations, treatments, and procedures affected by informed
consent standards governed by state or federal law shall be observed for inmate
care.
The informed consent of the parent, guardian, or legal
custodian must be obtained when required by law.
Where health care treatment must be provided against an
inmate's will, it must be provided according to law.
Subp. 12.
Ambulance services.
Ambulance services shall be available on a 24-hour-a-day
basis.
