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Maine's Medical Examiner's Office Awarded National Accreditation - One of the best Medical Examiner Offices in the country, said national accreditation agency
May 8, 2018
AUGUSTA -- The National Association of Medical Examiners granted Maine's Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) full accreditation, citing it as one of the best Medical Examiner Offices in the country.
The accreditation and accolades by the national association is an extraordinary acknowledgment and validation of the good work and team effort put in by Dr. Flomenbaum and the OCME staff, said Janet T. Mills, Attorney General. Their hard work providing closure to families ensures that we get it right when investigating and understanding unexplained deaths. This is not easy work and I commend their commitment and dedication.
During its accreditation report, the office was specifically cited for having a staff that is enthusiastic and committed to high professional standards and completing high quality reports furnished with exemplary speed and accuracy. The Medical Examiner Office received full accreditation for the maximum of five years.
The twelve person office is led by Mark Flomenbaum, M.D., PhD, who was appointed by Governor Paul LePage in August 2014 after serving as Deputy Chief under the direction of Dr. Margaret Greenwald.
I am so proud to work alongside a team of such dedicated, talented, and focused individuals, said Dr. Flomenbaum. Each step of the way, our staff meet opportunities and challenges with enthusiasm and vigor to raise and exceed our work standards. They are consummate professionals who deliver the highest quality of service with the sensitivity and dignity that all Mainers deserve. I am so glad that we have been acknowledged for this on a national level.
Under Dr. Flomenbaum's leadership, the OCME has: Reduced the backlog of cases from multiple hundreds to zero. Reduced turnaround time for case completion from 4-5 months to less than 3-4 weeks. Upgraded and improved mortuary equipment to increase efficiency and protect health of staff. Created new position to manage and track data for demographic, statistical, and other forensic purposes. Received acclaim from federal agencies that Maine was number one in speed and thoroughness out of 34 national medical examiner jurisdictions participating in research collecting data on drug abuse and violent deaths.
The Office of Chief Medical Examiner is a statewide system that is charged with the investigation of sudden, unexpected and violent deaths. OCME investigations determine cause and manner of death and when necessary, perform autopsies to assist in that determination. Over 3,000 deaths are reported to the OCME each year.
Dr. Flomenbaum added, "This is a team effort not just with the central office staff in Augusta, but also with the dozens of physicians around our state who volunteer their time and expertise and are a crucial part of the success of our mission."
