Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Cowlitz County coroner proposes Randox testing to reduce autopsy and toxicology costs
Summary
At a county budget review, Coroner Dana outlined proposed cuts to the coroner's budget and recommended buying a Randox on-site toxicology analyzer to reduce autopsy and outside-lab costs and speed results for families.
Coroner Dana told the Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners during a budget review that she proposes trimming the coroner's office budget and buying a Randox in-house toxicology machine to reduce autopsy and outside-lab expenses.
Dana said the office's professional services line would fall from $275,000 to $175,000 after removing a $120,000-a-year contract with one forensic pathologist and other cuts. She presented 2024 case totals and reimbursements to justify the changes and outlined expected savings if the county adds the Randox quantitative testing capability.
Dana said the office performed 79 full autopsies in 2024 (73 adults and six infants). The coroner's accounting for 2024 showed total autopsy-related charges of roughly $175,002.50, not including some toxicology costs. She said coroner contracts and per-case fees vary by…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
