Q&A
Reducing toxicology and autopsy turnaround times for opioid-related deaths
1:18:44
ยท
121 sec
Council Member Lynn Schulman inquires about OCME's efforts to reduce toxicology and autopsy turnaround times for opioid-related deaths. Robert Van Pelt, Chief of Staff at OCME, explains the progress made and future goals.
- OCME aims to reduce the overall process time for certifying opioid deaths, not just toxicology turnaround times
- Toxicology turnaround time has been reduced from 77 days to 40 days
- Autopsy turnaround time has decreased from 118 days to 84 days
- The ultimate goal is to cut the turnaround time for certifying opioid deaths to 45 days, half of the general acceptable standard of 90 days
Lynn Schulman
1:18:44
Okay.
1:18:45
Great.
1:18:47
One stated goal, so reducing turnaround times.
1:18:50
One stated goal is to reduce toxicology turnaround times to provide more timely data to public health partners and grieving families.
1:18:57
How have settlement funds been used to advance this goal, and what measurable improvements have you achieved?
Robert Van Pelt
1:19:03
Great.
1:19:03
Thank you for the question, council member.
1:19:05
So, yes, that's correct.
1:19:06
And I just also wanted to clarify.
1:19:08
It's not only to reduce the turnaround times for toxicology, it's to reduce the time the turnaround time for certifying opioid deaths, so the overall process.
1:19:18
So certifying an opioid dose relies on toxicology results, but not just that.
1:19:22
It relies on, you know, other, you know, physical examination and other things.
1:19:26
So, the opioid settlement funds that have been, supported have been those those 17, headcount.
1:19:34
So the 11 hired have been towards that.
1:19:36
We're already making great, progress, as I I stated.
1:19:40
So for the toxicology turnaround time, we're already we went from 77 days to just 40 days.
1:19:48
So that's all toxicology results.
1:19:51
Right?
1:19:51
And then the autopsy turnaround time has gone from 118 days, that was in f y, 24, to only, to 84 days presently.
1:20:02
Right?
1:20:02
So we've we're only, you know, a few months in, but already we're seeing really great results.
1:20:07
So I think so we we're thinking that these are really great indicators of where we're going to be a year from now.
Lynn Schulman
1:20:13
And what's your ultimate goal
UNKNOWN
1:20:15
for the
Robert Van Pelt
1:20:16
The ultimate goal so cutting in half.
1:20:18
So, really, the standard that, we aim for is 90 days.
1:20:22
That's that's really the generally general acceptable standard is 90 days.
1:20:25
Right?
1:20:26
We want to cut around we want to cut the turnaround time to 45 days, certifying opioid deaths.
Lynn Schulman
1:20:33
So think about this wasn't isn't what this hearing is about, but think about what resources you might need as we start going into budget hearings and all of that.
1:20:42
So, please keep that in mind.
Robert Van Pelt
1:20:45
Thank you, Counsel.