222/Maryland Manual

Thomas D. Smith, M.D., Acting Chief Medical
Examiner

111 Penn St.
Baltimore 21201 Telephone: 396-3823

The Department of Postmortem Examiners was
created in 1939 to replace a decentralized system of
local coroners (Chapter 69, Acts of 1939). Now,
deputy medical examiners in each county investi-
gate violent and suspicious deaths or deaths unat-
tended by physicians. They file with the Office of
the Chief Medical Examiner reports of all deaths
investigated. Records of the Department are open
for inspection to the family of the deceased and are
acceptable in court as evidence of the facts con-
tained (Code Health-General Article, sec. 5-309).

The Department is directed by the State Post-
mortem Examiners Commission composed of four
ex officio members and a representative of the
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene select-
ed by the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene.
The Commission appoints all professional person-
nel (Code Health-General Article, sec. 5-302
through 5-312).

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR
HEALTH REGULATION

Deborah Lewis-Idema, Assistant Secretary

201 W. Preston St.
Baltimore 21201 Telephone: 383-4595

The Assistant Secretary for Health Regulation
brings together the principal health regulatory
functions of the Department and provides leader-
ship and guidance for the Department's regulatory
and licensing programs.

The Assistant Secretary coordinates the activi-
ties of the State Health Services Cost Review
Commission and the State Health Resources Plan-
ning Commission and assures that both receive
adequate administrative support.

With the assistance of a program evaluation
staff, the Assistant Secretary develops recommen-
dations for implementation by the Secretary to
modify and shape the role of the Department. The
Assistant Secretary assists in defining health prob-
lems, evaluating new and existing Department
programs, and developing and applying knowledge
of federal and other external trends so as to advise
the Secretary on program emphasis and Depart-
ment direction. The major organizational compo-
nents of the Assistant Secretariat for Health Regu-
lation are the State Health Services Cost Review
Commission, the State Health Resources Planning

Commission, and the Office of Regulatory Ser-
vices.

STATE HEALTH SERVICES COST
REVIEW COMMISSION

Chairperson: David P. Scheffenacker, 1985

Dr. Carl J. Schramm, 1985; Stephen W.
McNierney, 1986; Roland Smoot, M.D., 1986;
Richard M. Woodfin, 1986; Don S, Hiller, 1987;
Earl J. Smith, 1987; Virginia B. Layfield, 1988.

Harold A. Cohen, Ph.D., Executive Director
Jack Keane, Deputy Director

201 W. Preston St.
Baltimore 21201 Telephone: 383-6804

The State Health Services Cost Review Commis-
sion was established by Chapter 627, Acts of 1971,
to monitor all matters relating to the fiscal affairs
of Maryland's hospitals and related institutions.
This enables the Commission to cause public
disclosure of each hospital's financial position, its
verified total costs incurred in rendering health
services, and the level of reasonableness of its rates
as determined by the Commission's review and
certification. It also provides information to deter-
mine the adequacy of each institution's financial
resources to meet its financial requirements. The
Commission concerns itself with solutions when
these resources are inadequate.

The Commission assures purchasers of hospital
health care services that total costs are reasonably
related to the total services offered by the hospital,
that aggregate rates are set in reasonable relation-
ship to the hospital's aggregate costs, and that rates
are set equitably among all purchasers of services
without undue discrimination.

The Commission consists of seven members
appointed to four-year terms by the Governor.
Authorization for the Commission continues until
July 1, 1993 (Code Health-General Article, secs.
19-201 through 19-222).

STATE HEALTH RESOURCES
PLANNING COMMISSION

Chairperson: Carville M. Akehurst, 1986

James T. Estes, M.D., 1985; Charlene Connolly
Quinn, 1985; Dominic B. Raino, 1985; Harvey
R. Wertlieb, 1985; Spencer Foreman, M.D.,
1986; Richard Hug, 1986; Nick Rajacich, 1986;
Otis Warren, Jr., 1986; Vivian C. Bailey, 1987;