Pathologists at the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office have been working to keep up with a case load that is one of the largest in the country - around 2,500 autopsies each year. They've been doing this at a time when the office's budget has been cut by 20 percent over the last 4 years.
Now, the University of Michigan Health System and Wayne County officials have announced they'll share resources to save money and improve educational opportunities.
From the Associated Press:
The University of Michigan Health System and Wayne County have agreed to partner for forensic services at the county medical examiner's office. Officials said Thursday that the 3-year deal will save county taxpayers $1.5 million and provide the University of Michigan's Pathology Department with additional training. The combined staff will help move along the high-volume of autopsies in Wayne County. County Medical Examiner Carl Schmidt and other Board of Pathology-certified pathologists would become employees of the school. The medical examiner's office would remain under county governance. Schmidt said his office is one of the busiest in the country with about 2,500 autopsies each year. He said funding has dropped from $8.1 million in 2007 to $6.2 million to $5.7 million for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.
The partnership is expected to start on October 1.
It won't prevent layoffs at the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office. From a University of Michigan Health System press release:
The agreement would require five of the 31 employees at the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office to be laid off. However, three of the five employees will continue employment with Wayne County government and one will retire.
