The Oregon Department of Corrections placed two of its top health officials on paid leave on Thursday while an investigation takes place. Dr. Warren Roberts, the chief of medicine, and Joe Bugher, the assistant director of health services, are under investigation, although no details were shared about the reason. The move comes amid growing concerns about healthcare in state prisons, especially at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, which houses women inmates.
The Department of Corrections oversees the medical care of about 12,000 inmates across 12 prisons in Oregon. Its health services division has 634 employees and also contracts with outside doctors for specialized care.
Oregon Department of Corrections Director Mike Reese emphasized that inmate healthcare is a priority. He stated that the department has hired an outside expert to investigate how healthcare is being managed within the agency. This follows past issues with inmate care, such as a backlog of nearly 600 medical appointments at Coffee Creek.
In one notable case last year, a woman at the prison settled a lawsuit for $1.5 million after claiming she didn’t receive proper care for a brain injury. Bugher, who is not a doctor, earns $241,000 a year and has worked for the department since 2004, rising through various roles. Dr. Roberts, the chief of medicine, earns nearly $381,000 annually and has worked with the department since 2019.
Before joining the Department of Corrections, Roberts, a neurosurgeon, was placed on a corrective plan in 2020 after an investigation into an unspecified issue. This was settled without formal disciplinary action. Roberts does not perform surgeries at the corrections department, according to agency spokesperson Amber Campbell.
Bugher’s responsibilities will temporarily be taken over by Deputy Director Heidi Steward while the investigation continues.