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Lawmakers’ House File 305 would widen pool of professionals eligible to serve as county medical examiners; county tracks response times
Summary
Officials noted that House File 305 — introduced with IACME backing — would permit physician assistants and nurse practitioners to serve as county medical examiners if enacted. County medical‑examiner staff said response times are tracked in their case-management system and that they will provide response-time data in the April update.
Council Bluffs, Iowa — County officials reported that a state bill under consideration could expand who may serve as a county medical examiner and discussed local tracking of scene‑response times.
An attendee identified the bill as House File 305 and said the Iowa Association of County Medical Examiners (IACME) introduced language to allow physician assistants and nurse practitioners to serve as county medical examiners if the measure passes. County staff said a passage could expand the hiring pool, which they described as helpful for staffing the office.
The county medical‑examiner’s office described how it tracks response times in the case‑management system used for investigations and said response-time data are not monitored continuously unless complaints prompt review. Investigators commonly have an hour to reach a scene, staff said; remote calls and simultaneous calls are cited as reasons for occasional outliers. The office will compile response‑time numbers for an April update to the board.
County staff discussed that if House File 305 becomes law and the board wishes to hire a PA or nurse practitioner as a medical examiner, an in‑house transition plan could be arranged — a currently serving medical examiner (Dr. Elliott was referenced in the discussion) signaled willingness to help train a successor should the board and staff decide to pursue that model.
The discussion was informational; the board did not take formal action on the bill but noted it would follow the legislation and personnel implications.
