Medical imaging for prison inmates can present numerous unique challenges.

Officer safety, high costs, consequences related to lack of continuation of care, public humiliation for the inmate, lengthy turnaround times, scheduling conflicts with outside clinics and a lack of medical facilities willing to take inmates as patients are a few challenges that correctional facilities face when sending out inmates for any service.

Kansas Mobile Solutions, a division of the Wichita Radiological Group, has multiple correctional facility contracts in the state of Kansas and has gained a reputation for providing quality customer service for this unique demographic. In early 2016, Reno County, Kansas, approved a contract with Kansas Mobile Solutions appointing it the mobile imaging provider for the Reno County Correctional Facility.

HealthCare Business News checked in with both organizations to see how the partnership was working out and how mobile imaging can play a crucial role in delivering timely care to prisoners.

A more efficient approach
While many of the challenges mentioned above have been resolved to varying degrees via the partnership with Kansas Mobile Solutions, Linda McMann, RN, director of nursing with the Reno County Correctional Facility, says the biggest impact has been on improving the continuation of care.

Once an inmate leaves to receive medical care outside of the correctional facility’s medical practice, there are often consequences related to multiple facilities and physicians being involved. Some of the possible outcomes include tests and assessments being duplicated, results delayed for days, treatments prescribed that do not adhere to the correctional facility’s safety practices and the communication between practitioners being delayed, limited and misinterpreted.

Through Reno County’s partnership with Kansas Mobile Solutions, McMann says imaging is provided same day, with same-day results. The correctional facility’s ordering physician can view images and reports online and immediately prescribe treatment.

Prisons are consistent, clinical and controlled
The typical imaging exam process starts with an assessment of the injured or ill inmate, and while McMann asserts that quality health care for the inmate is the top priority, they must also be careful not to abuse the service and keep unnecessary costs to a minimum. Imaging services are only ordered if there is a concern that underlying issues exist and the exam is essential in continuing the diagnosis and treatment of the patient.
Once the assessment indicates the need for imaging, the correctional facility’s physician writes an order for the exam. At that point, McMann contacts Kansas Mobile Solutions with the request for services and a mobile radiologic technologist or diagnostic sonographer is dispatched to the facility.

Once they have arrived at the facility, they are escorted by staff to the medical department at the jail. The technologist or sonographer verifies the order is valid, and then is taken to an exam room where the X-ray or ultrasound takes place.

Aside from the security that is provided for the Kansas Mobile Solutions staff member, the imaging exam does not require any unique precautions.


“The exam precautions are no different than any other imaging exam,” says Tina L. Brown, LRT (R), director of mobile operations for Kansas Mobile Solutions. “The reduction of radiation exposure to the inmate, the technologist and the surrounding environment is always at the forefront of the technologist’s mind, regardless of where we perform the exam.”

The routine X-ray and ultrasound exams that take place at the jail are actually less challenging than at most places, according to Brown, who credits that to an environment that is “consistent, clinical and controlled.”

This contrasts preferably to the mobile imaging challenges Kansas Mobile Solutions deals with elsewhere, like having to perform exams in environments that aren’t clinical or imaging elderly patients who may present challenges due to loss of bone density or dementia, for example.

Brown describes most of the patients at the jail as “able-bodied and cooperative,” adding that, “this place is run very efficiently and the staff is very involved in the process. Having that kind of support makes our job easier.”

Faster turnaround for better outcomes
After the images are obtained, the sonographer or radiologic technologist sends the exam wirelessly to a PACS.

“Oftentimes, the study has reached the PACS before the technologist has loaded up and called in for their next assignment,” says Brown. “Once the study has reached the PACS, it is available for any of our radiologists to read.”

After the study is dictated, a report is sent same day and all acute findings are reported immediately.

“The hands-on customer service involved in creating the fastest turnaround time possible is what we think makes us unique,” says Brown. “We have many behind-the-scenes employees who are quality checking every aspect of the process from the moment the call comes in, to the time the facility is notified of the results.”

In addition to quick reporting, all of the images and reports are available for viewing by the ordering physician, authorized facility staff and referring physicians. With the use of a web-based PACS, the mobile imaging provider is able to offer all of their clients access to a facility and physician portal.

Although the actual financial savings that have been accrued through the partnership have not yet been calculated, McMann with Reno County says working with Kansas Mobile Solutions has exceeded expectations by providing a more seamless and efficient imaging solution for prisoners.