Monitor says progress made in DeKalb jail's health care

DECATUR - DeKalb County has made substantial improvements in medical care at the county jail but still has problems to correct, according to a court-appointed monitor. <br> <br> The county is making a good-faith effort to comply with terms of a settlement agreement in a lawsuit filed by inmates, Dr. Robert Greifinger said Friday during a hearing. <br> <br> Superior Court Judge Hilton Fuller, who presided at the hearing, said is considering extending the 18-month-old settlement agreement that is to expire this month. He continued the case to allow plaintiffs&#39; attorneys to review affidavits filed at the last minute. <br> <br> The suit was filed in 1999 by the Southern Center for Human Rights on behalf of 15 inmates who said they were brutalized and given poor medical care. <br> <br> The settlement agreement reached in March 2001 requires the jail&#39;s medical services contractor and staff to submit to regular inspections. Until his most recent review, Greifinger has found the quality of health care unacceptable. <br> <br> On Friday, he said, ``If I checked off all the items in the settlement agreement, I would find reasonable compliance. <br> <br> ``But if you look at the ones that matter most - care, treatment, training and supervision of clinical staff, and development of a sound infrastructure - we&#39;re not there yet,&#39;&#39; Greifinger said. <br> <br> Among remaining problems he cited were disorganized record-keeping and often-delayed treatment of inmates with HIV.