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Oklahoma medical examiner's office seeks $3.5 million to regain national accreditation

Hans Reniers
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The Oklahoma state medical examiner’s office is seeking to have its national accreditation restored, but a cut in funding could jeopardize that, a Senate panel was told Wednesday.

Dr. Eric Pfeifer, chief medical examiner, said the agency lost accreditation in 2019 through the National Association of Medical Examiners, which found 29 deficiencies due to staffing shortages and inadequate facilities.

The agency is “on the cliff” of regaining it, he told a legislative committee examining agency budgets.

“Once you’ve achieved national accreditation, it means you’ve got the staff, you’re doing the cases in a timely manner, and everything is being done professionally,” he said.

Since August, 90% of the agency’s cases have been completed in 90 days, he said.

“That is the national benchmark,” he said.

Lack of accreditation makes it difficult to attract quality staff and is an issue that gets brought up in court, he said.

“It is more than just a plaque that you hang on the wall,” Pfeifer said. “It means you’re meeting minimum national standards.”

The agency is seeing a $3.5 million supplemental appropriation to work toward accreditation.

Sen. Todd Gollihare, R-Kellyville, asked Pfeifer what would happen to the agency’s accreditation if the $3.5 million wasn’t appropriated.

“Yes, it will affect absolutely everything,” Pfeifer said. “You know, more than the accreditation.”

The agency would not be able to maintain case turnaround times and would lose pathologists, he said.

Gollihare said it appeared the state was trying to buy accreditation when not having it has not impacted operations.

The $3.5 million would be a recurring cost, Gollihare said.

“Instead of a family waiting half a year or a year to get a report back, they have a 90% chance of getting it in 90 days,” Pfeifer said.

He said his agency’s results impact just about every law enforcement entity in the state.

“They need our results to do their work and if they’re waiting that long for our reports, then everybody suffers,” Pfeifer said.

Gollihare said the state will have less revenue to spend this year in part due to elimination of the state’s portion of the sales tax on groceries. The agency is seeking what amounts to a 21% increase in funding, he said.

What if the agency were to get a 2% reduction, Gollihare asked.

“If it were a flat budget or even a 2% reduction, that sometime by next December, January, we will have bled to death,” Pfeifer said.


Oklahoma Voice is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence.

Barbara Hoberock is a senior reporter with Oklahoma Voice. She began her career in journalism in 1989 after graduating from Oklahoma State University. She began with the Claremore Daily Progress and then started working in 1990 for the Tulsa World. She has covered the statehouse since 1994 and served as Tulsa World Capitol Bureau chief. She covers statewide elected officials, the legislature, agencies, state issues, appellate courts and elections.
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