MARIETTA, GA – Five months after a citizen complaint about how an autopsy was handled, an audit of the Cobb County Medical Examiner's Office criticized several operating procedures, but none of the work.
Cobb County Commissioners, who requested the audit in November, heard the results at a work session Tuesday afternoon.
The audit noted that independently contracted Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Brian Frist does not report directly to anyone in county government.
It also said the office lacks clear documentation about training, organization and operating procedures.
Frist is Cobb County's fourth privately contracted M.E. since the system began in 1973. He assumed the position in 1999.
The audit said his contract was not competitively bid and has no expiration date.
It also noted that while he is licensed in forensics, Frist does not have sub specialty qualification required by the American Board of Pathology, considered a minimum standard for accreditation, which his office lacks.
It pointed out that he did not have a City of Marietta business license, until he was told he needed to get one a few months ago.
The audit also said records are not clear on how much time Frist and some of his employees spend on private autopsies, which his contract allows.
It recommended strengthening controls, including bringing the office under the County Manager and making sure it follows all county policies about training and outside work.
Dr. Frist has agreed to most of the suggestions, promising to make the changes by the end of September. He also said he will seek accreditation.
He told 11Alive News the office has always done private autopsies, even before he took over, but he insisted they were not done on county time or with county money, even though his contract allows them to be performed at the county's office.
Cobb County Commission Chairman Tim Lee admitted many procedures need to be tightened and accepted most of the blame for a lack of oversight.
The medical examiner's office performs an average of 400 autopsies a year.
It gets just over $1 million a year in public money, about half going for Dr. Frist's contract.
But he said he also pays some salaries, benefits and insurance for himself and those employees from that amount.
Frist defended the quality of his office's work and Chairman Lee said he has had no complaints from police, the district attorney or the courts who depend on it.
Lee said while several procedures need to be changed, he sees no need to replace Frist.
