Cleveland EMS transported fewer people from the Cuyahoga County Jail to MetroHealth System’s main hospital campus in 2025, according to figures MetroHealth presented to Cuyahoga County Council. The count was 1,164 in 2024 and 895 in 2025, a decline that occurred while the jail population rose. During the first nine months of 2026, the system recorded 528 such trips.
Council approved a three-year, $92 million contract extension that keeps MetroHealth providing medical care inside the jail. Under the expanded agreement, staffing is expected to rise from 105 to 122. A nurse practitioner or physician also is scheduled to cover nights and weekends.
Dr. R. Douglas Bruce, MetroHealth’s chief operating officer, told council that round-the-clock coverage would not end the need for outside hospital trips. He said the system is trying to ensure that people needing a higher level of care leave the jail, while limiting transports to those who truly require them. A MetroHealth spokesperson said transport volume depends on patient needs, and the hospital system was reluctant to speculate about why the number fell. The source previously reported that chest pain, general illness and pregnancy were among common reasons for jail-to-hospital transfers.