Spokane County asked to provide autopsy services for Colville tribes | Washington

(The Center Square) – Spokane County operates the only medical examiner’s office on the east side of Washington and could soon add the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation to the growing list of entities receiving autopsy services.

dr Veena Singh, chief medical examiner, provided an update on the Colville tribes’ request for services at Monday’s first meeting of all five county commissioners.

Joining Republican commissioners Al French, Josh Kerns and Mary Kuney at the table were newly elected Democrats Amber Waldref and Chris Jordan.

The change in the makeup of the commission is tied to a 2018 state law that required the county to add two districts, which occurred with the November election.

Singh explained to the commissioners that most counties have coroners to respond to death scenes. However, she said autopsies and investigations into the manner and cause of death have to be undertaken by a medical examiner.

A coroner is usually not a physician, but a medical examiner is required to be not only a doctor but certified by the American Board of Pathology in the medical specialty of Forensic Pathology. The examiner must also have experience in Forensic Sciences, such as collection of evidence and providing expert legal testimony in court cases.

Singh said there was currently a shortage of coroners in the state, so the demand for services from medical examiners had grown.

“Our expertise has put us in a good position to take up the slack,” she said.

She said the Colville tribes now wanted to utilize Spokane County’s medical examiner services. The addition of about 12 cases a year would not strain the existing workload, she said.

The fee schedule for the tribes would be the same as other partners, said Singh.

The cost of a basic autopsy, she said, is $1,800 and a complex autopsy is $2,200. Basic evidence collection is $200 per case and other services are available for $250 apiece. Deferred storage is $5 per day.

Singh said fees were reviewed at the end of each year to ensure revenue was covering equipment purchases and other expenses.

Commissioner Al French said the $12 million medical examiner facility had been built several years ago to be state-of-the-art, so it should serve local needs for a long time to come.

“We are the best in the state, in my unbiased opinion,” he said.

Singh said people came from all over the state to visit the Spokane County offices, which were among 100 or so in the nation to be accredited by the National Association of Medical Examiners.

“It’s an honor to be so accredited,” she said.