Idaho Code § 31-3521

The county commissioners may employ a physician to attend, when necessary, the patients of the county hospital, provided however, that the county commissioners may enter into contracts with groups of licensed physicians for medical attendance upon patients of the county hospital or other persons receiving medical attendance at county expense. They may provide for the employment, at some kind of manual labor, of such of the patients as are capable and able to work and the attending physicians must certify to the person in charge or lessee of the county hospital the names of such of the patients as are incapable of manual labor, and when any such patient becomes capable the physician shall certify that fact.