WORCESTER COUNTY, Md.- Worcester County is providing additional details about its decision to change pharmacy providers for the Worcester County Jail following questions from community members about the transition.
The county says the change came after it selected CFG Health Systems as its new correctional health care contractor. Under that agreement, CFG Health Systems chose Correct Rx to provide pharmacy services for the jail.
According to Worcester County, Correct Rx specializes in correctional pharmacy services and works with detention facilities across Maryland. The company provides around-the-clock pharmacist consultation and emergency support, with medications typically delivered directly to the jail through scheduled UPS shipments.
County leaders said the new arrangement is designed to address the medical needs of a facility that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The county said that if someone is admitted to the jail overnight and needs medication such as insulin, an on-call pharmacist can work with medical staff to determine treatment. If the medication is already stocked at the jail, it can be given immediately. If not, Correct Rx can coordinate an emergency delivery. CFG Health Systems may also use local retail pharmacies, including CVS or Walmart, when urgent medications are needed.
For years, the Worcester County Jail worked with Snow Hill Pharmacy to provide prescription services. The county said it attempted to continue that relationship during the transition to a new health care contractor, but determined that the pharmacy could not meet all operational requirements for continuous correctional health care.
According to the county, Snow Hill Pharmacy did not provide service during overnight hours, on Sundays, or on holidays. County leaders said that in some cases, limited after-hours pharmacy access required incarcerated people to be transported to outside medical facilities for medication, requiring correctional officers to leave the jail and increasing operational costs.
The county also said pharmaceutical services for the jail exceed its competitive procurement threshold, noting spending surpassed $71,000 during fiscal year 2026. Under county procurement policies, contracts above that amount must be awarded through a competitive bidding process.
County leaders said the selected provider was required to meet minimum operational standards, including 24/7 pharmacy availability, while also offering competitive pricing.
Worcester County said the decision was based on several factors, including meeting legal obligations to provide health care to incarcerated people, ensuring uninterrupted pharmacy services, following procurement requirements and reducing operational and legal risks associated with delays in medication.
The county acknowledged concerns about the impact the change may have on a longtime local business but said it could not make exceptions to procurement rules or operational requirements.
According to the county, Correct Rx was selected because it provides continuous pharmacy coverage for correctional facilities, offers pricing that meets the county's requirements and has experience serving detention centers.
