Commission hears concerns about inmate transfers to out‑of‑county hospitals; law‑enforcement committee to meet

Commissioners discussed inmate medical transfers to hospitals outside Bradley County after jurors reported deputies traveling to Nashville to accompany inmates for care. Commissioner Alford asked county EMS director Adam to explain the transfers and potential budget effects.

Adam said the recent cases involved patients for whom the local hospital did not have the required specialty available at the time. He described one inmate transferred to Knoxville to see an ear‑nose‑throat specialist and another whose eye condition required urgent specialist evaluation; in both examples the local facility lacked the specialty on call or available at that hour. He emphasized he could not speak for hospital decision‑making and that hospital capabilities vary; he also said hospitals must treat emergency patients but may transfer when they lack a specialty.

On budgetary impact, Adam said the county’s expenses increase when deputies must travel with inmates—overtime and overnight lodging are real costs for the sheriff’s office—but he said he could not provide the medical bills without seeing invoices. Commissioners and staff also noted that litigation and class‑action suits involving jail medical care statewide have made providers and detainment officials more cautious about transfers.

After discussion the chairman and commissioners agreed it would be appropriate for the law‑enforcement committee to meet with the sheriff to examine the issue further; the chairman asked that the committee coordinate a date with staff (Laurie). No formal vote was recorded; the committee meeting will be scheduled as a follow‑up so commissioners can get more detail about frequency, costs and whether in‑house medical decisions align with contract expectations.

Attributions: direct explanations of transfer reasons are attributed to Adam; the committee referral was made by the chairman and accepted by commissioners.