§ 501. Jail physician. 1. The board of supervisors of each county, except New York, must appoint some reputable physician, duly authorized to practice medicine, as the physician to the jail of the county. If there is more than one jail they must appoint a physician to each. The physician to a jail holds his office at the pleasure of the board which appointed him, except in the county of Kings. In that county, the term of his office is three years.

2. Notwithstanding subdivision one of this section, a county board of supervisors may instead procure the services of a professional partnership, a professional service corporation, a professional service limited liability company or a registered limited liability company, duly authorized to practice medicine in the state, for the purpose of providing health services to the incarcerated individuals of the jail, provided that one physician from any such professional partnership, professional services corporation, professional service limited liability company or registered limited liability company shall be designated by the board to act as the chief medical officer of the jail.