WMed Office of the Medical Examiner

08/20/2026

💬 You Asked... We Answered! 💬

This week's Q&A is another 2-for-1! 👏

Question #1: Does the Medical Examiner's Office contract directly with counties?

Question #2: What are the differences between the Medical Examiner's Offices that may be bidding for a county?

Great questions!

Let's start with how it works here in Michigan.

📝 How does a county choose its Medical Examiner's Office?

Each Michigan county has a Board of Commissioners. When a county needs Medical Examiner services, the county may issue a Request for Proposal (RFP). Medical Examiner organizations that are interested and have the resources to serve that county can submit a proposal outlining what their office can provide and what those services will cost.

The Board of Commissioners then reviews the proposals and ultimately selects the organization they believe is the best fit for their county.

Once selected, the county and Medical Examiner organization enter into a contract, typically for a set period of time, often 2–4 years.

But here's where things get interesting...

🔎 Are all Medical Examiner's Offices the same?

Not necessarily!

Michigan's Medical Examiner system allows for differences in how offices are structured and what services they can provide.

For example, in Michigan, a Medical Examiner must be a physician, but that physician does not necessarily have to be a board-certified forensic pathologist.

And here's an important distinction:

🩺 A Medical Examiner is not necessarily a forensic pathologist.

Forensic pathologists are specially trained to perform forensic autopsies, while a physician serving as a Medical Examiner may not have that training. Some offices may therefore need to contract with another organization when a case requires an autopsy.

There are also MANY other pieces that go into providing complete Medical Examiner services, including:

👩‍⚕️ Medical Examiner Investigators
🚑 Decedent transportation
🔬 Autopsy services
🦴 Forensic anthropology
🩻 Radiology and imaging
🧪 Toxicology
📞 24/7 coverage
📋 Accreditation and quality standards

Some offices can provide all of these services under one organization, while others may provide only some of them and contract with additional agencies or organizations for the services they don't offer.

For example, an office may not have 24/7 investigator coverage, may rely on local law enforcement to conduct death investigations, or may not have radiology available in-house.

💰 And, of course, cost matters too. The price of a proposal generally reflects the services and resources that organization is able to provide.

At WMed, we are fortunate to have the resources to provide a comprehensive system of services under one organization, including 24/7 investigative coverage, transportation, forensic pathology, anthropology, radiology, toxicology, and more. We are also nationally accredited by the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME), meaning our office operates under nationally recognized standards for Medical Examiner systems.

But here's the important part:

🖤 Different does NOT mean better or worse.

Every county has different needs.

A smaller county may not have the population or case volume to require a large, fully integrated Medical Examiner system. Another county may have a much larger population and case volume and require an office with extensive resources and 24/7 coverage.

Ultimately, the goal is for each county to choose the system that best meets the needs of its community and its citizens.

So when you see different Medical Examiner organizations competing for a county contract, you're not necessarily looking at one office that's "better" than another. You're looking at different organizations offering different structures, resources, services, and costs, and the county's Board of Commissioners decides which option is the best fit.

We love getting these questions because most people don't know how much goes on behind the scenes of a Medical Examiner system!

Keep the questions coming! 👇
You ask, we answer!

08/19/2026

The unclaimed process is an unfunded mandate for our medical examiner’s office but it is a crucial way we support the 14 counties we serve. It truly is an honor to provide dignity, and act as witness, to the final chapter of those who have no one to claim them.

“Unclaimed doesn’t mean unloved or unwanted,” an official said.

08/16/2026

🎉 Welcome to the WMed Team! 🎉

This weekend was a busy one for our office as we welcomed 5 new Medical Examiner Investigators AND a new In-House Investigator! 👏

Our newest team members completed the classroom portion of their training and will now head into the field alongside experienced senior investigators to continue building their skills, gaining hands-on experience, and getting their investigative legs underneath them!

We’re also especially excited to welcome Josh to our In-House Investigations team! Josh has been a field investigator with WMed and is now making the move to our in-house team. We’re pretty sure the in-house crew is excited to have him, and we know he’ll be a fantastic addition! 🖤

A huge welcome to all six of our newest team members! We’re excited to watch you learn, grow, and become an important part of the work we do for the communities we serve.

Please join us in welcoming them to the WMed family! 👏

08/10/2026

💬 You Asked... We Answered! 💬

Question: What happens if someone dies and doesn't have any known next of kin or their final wishes aren't documented?

This is a wonderful question, and one that many people don't know the answer to.

First, it's important to know that every Medical Examiner's Office operates a little differently, so we can only speak to how we do things here at WMed.

If a person passes away and we are unable to locate or identify their next of kin at the scene, they are transported to our office while we begin what is called an Unclaimed Investigation.

Our supervisory team works diligently to locate family members. We search multiple databases, review available records, make phone calls, and utilize every resource available to us. Our goal is always the same: to find someone who can make final arrangements for their loved one.

Sometimes, despite exhausting every available resource, we are unable to locate any living next of kin, or there simply isn't anyone able to take responsibility for final arrangements.

When that happens, our work isn't over.

After completing a thorough investigation, we submit documentation to the State of Michigan requesting authorization for state-funded cremation. This assistance is only available in specific circumstances, such as when the individual has no available assets.

Once approved, we work closely with local funeral homes that generously partner with us by providing cremation services at a significantly reduced cost. We are incredibly grateful for these community partners and their willingness to help ensure every individual is treated with dignity and respect.

After cremation, the cremated remains are returned to our office. Each year, we host our **Claiming the Unclaimed Ceremony**, where we join with local churches, funeral homes, volunteers, and community members to lay these individuals to rest in a beautiful memorial garden.

Although they may not have had family present, they are not forgotten.

One thing many people don't realize is that caring for unclaimed individuals is an unfunded mandate in Michigan. That means Medical Examiner's Offices are responsible for this important work, but there is no dedicated funding provided for the annual memorial ceremonies.

Because of this, our ceremony is made possible through the incredible generosity of WMed staff, community members, funeral homes, churches, and volunteers who believe that every person deserves to be remembered and laid to rest with dignity.

🖤 If you would like to support this meaningful tradition and help us continue honoring those in our care, you can learn more or make a donation using the link below.

http://projectunclaimed.org/

Thank you for another thoughtful question! Keep them coming,we're grateful for the opportunity to educate our community about the work we do.

08/01/2026

💬You Asked... We Answered💬

This week's questions are all about timeframes! ⏳

**Question #1:** Why does it take the Medical Examiner's Office 6–8 weeks to get toxicology results back when the Emergency Room can do it in just a few hours?

Great question!

The answer is that the tests are very different.

In the Emergency Room, toxicology testing is designed to help doctors make immediate treatment decisions. These tests typically look for a relatively small number of common drugs and often provide a simple positive or negative result.

At the Medical Examiner's Office, our toxicology testing is much more comprehensive, and we are just one of many agencies using the lab(s) and are competing for the lab resources.

Not only are we looking for a much broader range of medications, drugs, and chemicals, but we also need to know exactly how much of a substance was present, not just whether it was there.

We're also testing for things that many people don't think about, including:
💊 Prescription medications, such as seizure medications or blood pressure medications, to determine whether they were being taken as prescribed.
🧪 Alcohols, electrolytes, and other substances that may have contributed to the death.
🔬 Any additional testing needed to help answer the medical questions surrounding the case.

Because of the complexity of this testing, toxicology results typically take 6–8 weeks to be completed.

**Question #2:** If the autopsy is done the next day, why does it take longer for the final report to be completed?

We love this question because it goes hand-in-hand with the first one!

An autopsy allows the forensic pathologist to carefully examine the body, document injuries and disease, and identify many findings right away.

However, the autopsy is only one piece of the puzzle. 🧩

Before completing a final report, the pathologist reviews all of the available information, including:
📋 The scene investigation
🏥 Medical history
🧪 Toxicology results
🔬 Microscopic tissue examination (histology), when needed
📑 Any additional laboratory testing

Only after all of those pieces come together can the pathologist make the most accurate determination of the cause and manner of death.

Each pathologist has a case load of sometimes hundreds of cases a year, each one with its own complexities and they all have to be completed in a timely manner so they must be prioritized.

While waiting can be difficult for families, taking the time to gather every piece of information helps ensure the final report is as accurate and complete as possible.

🖤 Keep the great questions coming! We love sharing what happens behind the scenes and helping our communities better understand the work of the Medical Examiner's Office.

07/27/2026

💬 You Asked... We Answered! 💬

This week's Q&A is a 2-for-1 special! 👏

Question #1: Does every decedent that comes to your office receive an autopsy?

Question #2: How long does someone stay at your office before they can be released to the funeral home?

These are two of the most common questions we receive!

The short answer to the first question is no, not every decedent who comes to our office receives a full autopsy.

Our goal is always the same: to determine the cause of death while using the least invasive examination necessary.

Here's what that can look like:

🩻 Imaging Only
Every decedent who comes to our office receives a CT scan and full-body X-rays. In some cases, these studies, combined with the scene investigation and medical history, provide all the information needed to determine the cause of death. If that's the case, no further examination is necessary.

👀 External Examination
Sometimes the pathologist only needs to perform a careful head-to-toe external examination. For example, in a motor vehicle crash where the cause of death is already apparent, the injuries still need to be thoroughly documented.

🫀 Limited (Partial) Examination
In other cases, the pathologist may only need to examine one specific organ or area of the body. If we strongly suspect what caused the death but need to confirm it, only that area is examined.

🔬 Full Autopsy
This is the examination most people think of when they hear the word "autopsy." A full autopsy is performed when we need to determine the cause of death or when national accreditation standards and best practices require one. For example, homicides receive a full autopsy, even when the cause of death appears obvious, because a complete examination is the standard of care and can provide important medical and forensic findings.

🧪 What about toxicology?
Toxicology testing is performed whenever it may help answer questions about the death. Not every case requires it, but when it does, those results become an important part of the investigation.

⏱️ So, how long does someone stay at our office?

Our goal is to return every decedent to their chosen funeral home as quickly as possible, while still completing a thorough and respectful investigation.

Most decedents are ready for release within 48 hours of arriving at our facility, and many are released much sooner. We never keep someone longer than is necessary to answer the medical and investigative questions.

Every investigation is unique, but one thing never changes: every person who comes into our care is treated with dignity, compassion, and respect.

🖤 Keep the great questions coming! We love giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what we do and helping our community better understand the work of the Medical Examiner's Office.

07/25/2026

🎉 **Another Incredible IACME Conference in the Books!** 🎉

Our team has officially returned home, and what an incredible week it was!

To say this year's International Association of Coroners & Medical Examiners (IACME) Conference was inspiring would be an understatement. Bringing together so many dedicated professionals from across the country, and around the world, all under one roof creates an unmatched opportunity to learn, collaborate, and share ideas.

Continuing education is something we deeply value at WMed. Every new connection, conversation, and educational session helps us grow as professionals and ultimately strengthens the care we provide to the families and communities we serve.

We are especially proud that one of our own had the opportunity to present, during the conference. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and we couldn't be more proud of the knowledge, passion, and professionalism our team brought to the national stage. 👏

A heartfelt thank you to the IACME for hosting another outstanding conference and to everyone who helped make this week such a memorable experience.

We came home with new knowledge, new friendships, and new ideas, and we're already looking forward to next year!

07/22/2026

✈️📚 Greetings from IACME! 📚✈️

It's been a busy and exciting week for WMed! Thirteen members of our team are attending the International Association of Coroners & Medical Examiners (IACME) Annual Conference.

This week-long conference brings together Medical Examiner and Coroner professionals from across the United States, and around the world, to share knowledge, learn from one another, and explore the latest advancements in medicolegal death investigation.

Opportunities like this allow our team to continue growing professionally, build relationships with colleagues from other jurisdictions, and bring new ideas and best practices back to the communities we serve.

We are especially grateful that seven of our Medical Examiner Investigators were able to attend through scholarships provided by the IACME, made possible through the generous support of Forensic Pathology Services (FPS). 💜 Their investment in continuing education helps strengthen our profession and the care we provide to families every day.

We're proud to represent WMed, Michigan, and the communities we serve, and we can't wait to bring what we've learned back home!

07/14/2026

💬 You Asked... We Answered! 💬

First, thank you! We received so many fantastic questions on our last post that we've decided to turn them into a series. Over the next several weeks, we'll answer as many as we can and give you a behind-the-scenes look at what happens during a medicolegal death investigation.

🖤 Question #1: What determines whether someone needs the Medical Examiner's Office or an autopsy?

Great question!

Let's start at the beginning.

Within our Jurisdiction's
When someone dies outside of a physician's immediate care (for example, outside of hospice or a hospital setting), the death is often reported to the Medical Examiner's Office. One of our Medical Examiner Investigators (MEIs) responds to the scene to conduct an investigation.

The investigator will:
📋 Speak with family members, friends, witnesses, EMS, and law enforcement.
🏥 Review the decedent's medical history and the circumstances surrounding the death.
📸 Document the scene and examine the decedent.

The goal is to gather enough information to help determine the manner of death, which is classified as one of five categories:
• Natural
• Accident
• Su***de
• Homicide
• Undetermined

The suspected manner of death is one of the biggest factors in determining what happens next. Once the investigator has gathered all of the available information, they discuss the case with one of our forensic pathologists to determine the appropriate disposition.

In general, if the death appears to be natural and there are no additional concerns requiring further investigation, the decedent may be released directly to the funeral home.

If the death appears to be anything other than natural; such as an accident, su***de, homicide, or is undetermined, it will typically be transported to our office for further examination.

Michigan law and accreditation standards also help dictate and determine which cases have to come in for an exam.

Here's something many people are surprised to learn:

🧠 Coming to the Medical Examiner's Office does NOT automatically mean a full autopsy will be performed.

There are several different types of postmortem examinations, and our goal is always to perform the least invasive examination necessary to answer the medical and investigative questions.

👀 Stay tuned for our next post, where we'll explain the different types of examinations we perform, and why not everyone who comes to our office receives a full autopsy.

Keep the questions coming! We love the opportunity to educate our communities about what we do.

07/08/2026

❓💬 Ask Us Anything! 💬❓

Did you know that most people don't know much about the Medical Examiner's Office... until they unexpectedly need us?

We're here to change that!

Our mission isn't just to serve our communities during difficult times, it's also to educate the public about who we are, what we do, and why our work matters.

So, ask away! 👇

Have you ever wondered:
🖤 What happens after a death is reported?
🚔 Why are both law enforcement and the Medical Examiner on scene?
🔬 Who determines the cause and manner of death?
🚗 What does a Medical Examiner Investigator do?
📋 What happens during an investigation?
🏥 When is an autopsy needed?
📞 Who gets called first?..or anything else you've ever been curious about?

No question is too basic! If you've wondered it, chances are someone else has too.

Over the next few weeks, we'll be answering your questions and giving you a behind-the-scenes look at the work we do every day to serve our communities.

A few ground rules:
• Please keep questions respectful and appropriate.
• We cannot answer questions about specific cases, decedents, or ongoing investigations.
• We may combine similar questions into one educational post.

We can't wait to hear from you! Drop your questions in the comments below! ⬇️

Who knows... your question might become our next featured post!