An innovative approach: one hospital's experience with prisoners as patients

At a time when community hospitals are struggling to survive financially, one hospital in Lansing, Michigan developed an innovative approach to diversify underutilized space and bring in additional funds. Ingham Medical Center converted a tuberculosis unit into a 10-bed secure unit for the tertiary care of prisoner patients from the state's penal institutions. The secure unit staff has provided excellent patient care and good communications with the prison and has maximized the use of beds, thereby improving the hospital's financial base. This article discusses how the hospital staff converted the unit, anticipated and prevented potential problems, and encountered and solved actual problems.