Utah Department of Corrections working on fixing issues with medical record system

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Corrections is working on an issue with prescription drugs in Utah’s prisons. 

The Department has been having problems with a new medical record system all month. That’s impacted their ability to fill prescriptions. 

Executive director Brian Nielson said they are now working on a significant backlog. 

“Normally, our operation would fill about a thousand prescriptions a day to keep up on the need,” he said. “Yesterday we filled over 2,000 medications in the pharmacy.”

The department also said the governor and health department are working with them. And so are local pharmacies. 

But the ACLU of Utah is calling this a crisis in providing medical care. 

Aaron Welcher with the ACLU said they want the governor and the department to take action. 

“To do everything in their power immediately,” Welcher said. “Create this as a high priority. And then to make sure that this will not happen again in the future.”

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