Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the required contracting period?

Our contracts with counties are usually for one year, with two annual extensions already priced, which automatically renew without negotiations. The contracts are continued for this three-year period of time unless either party chooses not to renew at the end of any contract year. However, all of our contracts include a "no fault" termination provision that allows either party to terminate with a short notice period (usually 60 days) without giving a reason.

What is the usual amount of time needed for the solicitation (RFP) process in selecting a medical care provider?

After the RFP is completed and mailed, the time needed varies from three to five months to actual start-up. The major factors that can extend the process are pre-bid conference schedules, question/answer timing, interviews of bidders, and negotiations with more than one provider. The downloads page of this website contains a link to our generic RFP that can save a lot of time in designing the RFP for your County.

What is the process that a County usually follows in contracting for jail medical care?

The most common method is for the County to provide enough information to Southern Health Partners for the preparation of a proposal that presents the program of care, the staffing, and the cost. The County then considers whether the pricing is reasonable, given the additional benefits of contracting, and considering the cost of the current program for inmates.

How much time is needed for contracting if the decision to get a comprehensive provider is treated as a search for "professional medical services" and not subject to an RFP process?

The process can move from start to finish (start-up) in 60 days or less.

Does SHP recruit locally for the nurses and physician(s)?

We always try to find nurses from the local community and county. In most cases we also look to find a physician locally, but we often have a physician already working with us at a nearby county facility who has a proven ability to manage medical care in the correctional setting. We consider this doctor to be the best choice in many cases.

How does SHP use its professional liability insurance to cover the County?

The medical liability insurer for SHP names the County as an additional insured party under the policy terms. This is often not the case with other providers, and in fact some other providers may not have insurance at all covering the provider entity (corporation, partnership, etc.) but only the doctor or nurse may have insurance coverage, leaving a big hole in the liability protection

How can I find out about SHP's success in other facilities of a like size and complexity as our County jail?

If you use the "Request for Pricing" form on the "Contact Us" page, you can give us some information about your facility and we will send you a proposal and the names of contracted facilities in your area that you may contact regarding our services. You can also just call any of the phone numbers provided on this web-site and ask for more information on this topic.

If we contract with SHP and the population of the jail increases or decreases significantly during the contract period, how will SHP manage the relative cost of these changes?

We want to stay current on all major changes at each customer's facility. Upon notification to us of these major changes, we would meet with a representative of the County to work on altered contract terms that would meet the needs of the County.

What type of restrictions on competition will I see if SHP is contracted to handle the medical care for our inmates?

SHP puts no non-compete language in any of our contracts with Counties. And we would strongly encourage that these terms be avoided in all cases when contracting with providers of care.