Sepsis is 'very treatable.' For inmates, it's often a death sentence.

[hlthe2b]

8. You don't need to tell me. I have actually conducted a very large and deadly outbreak investigation

in one of the country's largest jails years ago (E. coli 0157:H7), and yes, many of these patients developed sepsis. BECAUSE I was there investigating, most of the sickest inmates were transferred to area hospitals. The point is that not only must prison infirmaries RECOGNIZE pending sepsis--or infections serious enough to require rapid transfer but also be looking for such conditions. I am sorry about your patient. I can assure you that it is sadly not uncommon. Only because my team and I were in that facility investigating and implementing disease control measures (for 4 straight weeks), did a later state corrections team require them to ditch the private health care company and implement OUR recommendations.

I won't identify the state or city, or specific facility where this occurred, because frankly, the issues for inmate care are a nationwide disgrace so what I experienced is repeated to a major degree across the country, if not the specific outbreak issues. I know it, you know it, but when the general population of this country cannot receive adequate health care, it is hard to make changes or to get too many R legislators to care. But I have to both agree and somewhat disagree with you. Early indications of sepsis are so often missed--especially in the elderly that it is not a "given" that even common infections like UTIs will not result in a fatal sepsis. Your Ricky's story is abysmal and inexcusable. It should not happen, but I hate to say it, but the elderly in nursing homes come into my ER not infrequently with a similar history. Pneumonia is likewise a major cause of sepsis death in the elderly in nursing homes. The response I get when I remind the supervising physician for these facilities that their staff are inadequate in vaccinating for influenza (or not doing so at all)? "Well, they have to die of SOMETHING..."

So, sorry to take this away from your specific issue, as I agree with you that it is inexcusable. But it is part of a larger and tragic issue that likewise needs to be addressed.