Medical examiner system finally coming to county
Times Herald-Record (NY)
January 4, 2007
Goshen — After decades of discussion and debate, Orange County lawmakers this afternoon finally created a medical examiner's office, propelling the county into the modern age and embracing a change that law enforcement, health officials and funeral directors have advocated for years.
Officials have long recognized the benefits of having a full-time medical examiner as opposed to the network of on-call coroners and per-diem forensic pathologists who now respond to unusual deaths.
But cost concerns and a reluctance to eliminate four elected coroner positions have stymied medical examiner proposals dating back to 1962.
Despite coroners' salaries, autopsy fees and charges paid to hospitals to use their autopsy facilities, the county's coroner budget is only $485,214. A medical examiner's proposal, by contrast, has long been seen as a multimillion-dollar proposition.
A forensic pathologist's salary alone would cost the county about $150,000 a year. However, a bipartisan Legislature committee that studied a similar effort by Dutchess County in 2003 now believes a medical examiner's office could cost county taxpayers only $350,000 more than they're spending now.
Coroners can pronounce people dead but rely on pathologists to conduct autopsies and determine causes of death. Coroners are elected office holders who are often funeral home directors. A medical examiner's office would be led by a forensic pathologist who conducts autopsies and makes determinations of death.
Orange hopes its medical examiner would investigate 958 deaths and conduct about 400 autopsies each year. That would be an increase from the 210 performed now.
Supporters hope to have the proposal approved and signed into law by February. Because the proposal would eliminated four elected coroner positions, citizens may petition to force a countywide referendum on the law. It would then be subject to a countywide vote.