Posted December 2008

Lester Wright serves as the Deputy Commissioner and Chief Medical Officer of the New York State Department of Correctional Services, overseeing a system that provides health care for over 61,000 inmate patients in 70 state facilities. Of the patients in his charge, approximately 4,000 are HIV-infected, giving him one of the largest caseload responsibilities in the State. Unlike many of his correctional colleagues, Dr. Wright’s background is varied not only by experience but also by geography. He has been involved in academic practice and currently serves as a senior lecturer at Columbia University School of Nursing. Dr. Wright has been an advisor in HIV prevention and treatment projects internationally, in both Africa and South America. He has served in the public health divisions of the states of Virginia, Oregon, Kansas, and Delaware, addressing policy matters and directing public health services.

Dr. Wright has been a leader in the New York State correctional system for the past 13 years, and has approached health care in this challenging setting by creating a system for providing quality care to inmates with HIV. He wanted to build a system that would address the treatment issues of those who knew of their diagnosis, and also wanted to be sure that inmates got tested to identify those with HIV who were not aware of their status. He knew that to succeed in bringing quality improvement methods into the correctional health setting he would need to build a quality infrastructure and involve the practitioners in these efforts. He established an innovative clinical education program with Albany Medical Center, which involved transmitting telemedicine sessions on HIV testing, clinical management, hepatitis C, and the special needs of the HIV population throughout the state network of prisons. Dr. Wright showed his commitment to addressing the mental health and substance use needs of his patient population by educating his staff, assuring the availability of services, and establishing special programs to target substance use.

His public health background defined Dr. Wright’s approach to correctional health. He implemented an information system to allow tracking of health information throughout the entire correctional network, one in which patients move around frequently, if involuntarily. This system allowed him to track basic epidemiological data in the prison system and to monitor health outcomes, ensuring that despite their incarcerated status, the health of his patients was a priority and a responsibility.

Lester Wright’s career has been exemplary in his committed service in so many health care arenas. His leadership is often belied by his quiet demeanor and understated achievements, not the least of which has been his accomplishment of providing quality care and service to an underserved population.