BALTIMORE (AP) - A routine review by Maryland state auditors found the state's medical examiner's office wasn't complying with standards, potentially costing the state money.
The Baltimore Sun reports the audit says the office wasn't following required competitive bidding processes when purchasing some medical supplies or properly monitoring mileage charged by vendors to transport bodies, among other issues. The audit spanned nearly four years and ended in September. The medical examiner's office says new procedures are in place to correct the issues.
The office has struggled to perform its duties as the number of autopsies mount amid the increasing number of opioid-related overdoses. The office almost lost its accreditation last year because each medical examiner was performing too many autopsies. The state granted more positions following a report by the Sun.
