Free tool · Health care inside

Sick Call Request Builder

Medical ignores requests that are vague, embarrassed, or easy to brush off. Answer a few questions and this writes a request in the words staff take seriously, plus the follow-up letter if they don't see you.

Why I built this

A 19-year-old came to me, his face ashen from embarrassment. He had put in a sick call: "I have been bleeding from my butt hole, can you help." Medical wrote back that if he thought health care was a joke he wouldn't get any, and threatened to send him to the hole.

He was bleeding, and badly. I wrote to medical for him: the same problem, described plainly and seriously, with a clear deadline and what would happen if they ignored it. He was seen about 45 minutes later and taken to the hospital.

Nothing about his body changed in those 45 minutes. Only the words did. This tool gives you those words. — Bilal

Bilal Khan worked alongside physicians in clinical roles (EMT, ultrasound technician, surgical technician, surgical first assistant) and has taught CPR and first aid for years. He is not a doctor or a lawyer, and this is not medical or legal advice.

1 Where are you?

County jail or detention centerWaiting for trial or sentencing Federal prison (BOP)Already designated

Name and number (optional) Housing unit (optional)

Sick call request

Answer the questions and your request appears here.

Nothing you type leaves this page. It isn't saved or sent anywhere.

Questions people ask

What should I write on a sick call request in jail or prison?

Say what is wrong in plain, specific words: where it is, when it started, how bad it is on a 0 to 10 scale, whether it is getting worse, and what you have already tried. Ask for one clear thing: to be seen by a provider. This tool writes it for you.

What if medical ignores the request?

Write a follow-up that names the date of your first request, describes the symptoms again, and asks to be seen. Keep copies. If you are still not seen, file the formal complaint: a BP-8 (informal resolution) in federal prison, or a grievance in most jails. Family can also call the facility and ask for Health Services.

When is it an emergency instead of sick call?

Chest pain, trouble breathing, heavy bleeding, fainting, a seizure, signs of a stroke, or thoughts of suicide are emergencies. Tell any officer right away that it is a medical emergency. Do not wait for sick call.