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A prisoner on life-sustaining medication at the state prison at
Frackville in East Central Pennsylvania went to the prison
infirmary on Saturday to have some of his prescriptions refilled.
The life-sustaining medications were not available! Rather than
a licensed pharmacist, nurses dispense medications. The nurse
on duty said that Diamond Pharmacy Services of Indiana,
Pennsylvania had failed to send the medications. The sick prisoner
would have to return in a few days.
At the appointed time on Tuesday, three days later, the prisoner returned to the prison infirmary. Again the essential life-sustaining medications were not available. The nurse, a fellow who's only speed was agonizingly super-slow, suggested that the heart patient stop back the next day! After four days without vital heart medication, the prisoner was not doing so well. His wife telephoned the drug supplier, Diamond Pharmacy. The pharmacist, John Previt, couldn't understand the problem. He assured the prisoner's wife that the medications had been sent to Frackville more than two weeks earlier. Not a little irritated, the prisoner's wife threw caution to the wind and telephoned the Bureau of Health Care Services at the Central Office of the Pennsylvania Department of Imprisonment. The wife realized that it was an exercise in futility, but she had to try. Her husband needed his heart medications. Connie Lenster, a woman at the Central Office was not concerned. She explained to the wife that the prisoner was to blame. The prison infirmary wasn't to blame. That's simply impossible; it can't happen. Magically, the following Wednesday, the prisoner's medications materialized. Fortunately he suffered few ill effects. We are unsure if medications will be available in the future. The prison has dealt with Diamond Pharmacy for years without any apparent problem. Since a new contractor, Prison Health Services of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania (717-761-2635), has taken over providing medical services in the prison, the impossible has happened. It's gotten even worse! It seems most likely that the contractor, Prison Health Services is the real problem along with the negligent Department of Imprisonment which hired them. If you have a sick loved one in prison, keep a close eye on him or her. Believe me, the prisons don't care if a prisoner lives or dies. And don't waste your time with Connie Lenster. "There's always the chance that he who sets himself
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