To: Charles Winfrey, Human Services Committee Chairperson
From: Brian C. Hunter, M.D.
title
RE: Approval of the second extension of the agreement between Genesee County and Hurley Medical Center, in an amount not to exceed $40,000.00, to provide histology services to the Medical Examiner’s Office; the cost of this agreement will be paid from account 1010-648.00-801.035
recommendation
BOARD ACTION REQUESTED:
Approve the second contract extension with Hurley Medical Center for histology services.
BACKGROUND:
Histology services involve preparing thin sections of tissue on glass slides — through fixation, processing, embedding, sectioning, and staining — so that cellular and tissue structure can be examined under a microscope. In a medical examiner's office, this work supports the death investigation process: pathologists rely on histology slides to identify or confirm disease processes (such as heart disease, cancer, or infection), assess the extent of trauma or injury at the cellular level, and detect findings that aren't visible during gross autopsy examination alone. This microscopic evidence often becomes part of the official record used to determine or corroborate cause and manner of death, and it can be critical in cases that involve litigation, criminal proceedings, or disputed findings.
DISCUSSION:
N/A
IMPACT ON HUMAN RESOURCES:
N/A
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
The funds are currently allocated in the budget.
IMPACT ON FACILITIES:
N/A
IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY:
N/A
CONFORMITY TO COUNTY PRIORITIES:
Medical examiners often play a crucial role in monitoring and addressing drug-related deaths within a community. By conducting toxicology screenings and analyzing the cause of death in cases where substance abuse may be involved, they can help identify high-risk substances, evaluate the impact of drug epidemics, and guide public health interventions, such as drug education programs or targeted enforcement efforts.
resolution
TO THE HONORABLE...
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