Methods and Observations from Routinely Collected Electronic Health Record Data in a Nationwide Jail Population: Introducing the Registry of Electronic Archives in Correctional Healthcare (REACH) Database

By accessing EHR data, we can expand our understanding of assessment and treatment of specific healthcare conditions in jail populations and address complicated questions about health status of detainees. Data analysis using the REACH database suggests LOS is influenced slightly by jail characteristics and more substantively by detainee demography and medical/mental health conditions. We propose the REACH database's potential for answering important questions about health status and healthcare services for jail populations, including questions about epidemiology and correctional healthcare.