Section VII: Staff and Training

The Chief Medical Examiner expressed concerns regarding staffing levels and workload as a result of budget and staffing reductions, as well as existing vacancies in authorized positions. The number of authorized positions has decreased from 39.00 authorized permanent positions in FY 1992-93 to 36.51 authorized permanent positions in FY 1996-97, or a reduction of 2.49 positions (6.4 percent).

For FY 1996-97, the Medical Examiner is authorized 36.51 permanent positions and 1.54 temporary positions, for a total of 38.05 authorized positions. Of these, 34.15 positions are currently filled and 3.90 positions (10.2 percent) are currently vacant. The number of authorized positions and the number of filled positions, by division, are shown in Table VII.1 below.

Table VII.1
Medical Examiner

Authorized and Filled Positions by Division, FY 1996-97

No. of
Authorized
Positions
 No. of
Filled
Positions
Medical Services
Pathology:
2582 Forensic Pathologist
2523 Forensic Pathologist		 5.00
3.00		 3.00
3.00
Subtotal - Pathology

8.00

6.00
Toxicology:
2457 Assistant Forensic Toxicologist II
2456 Assistant Forensic Toxicologist I
2403 Forensic Laboratory Technician
2459 Forensic Laboratory Manager		 1.00
3.00
1.00
0.50		 1.00
3.00
1.00
0.50
Subtotal - Toxicology

5.50 5.50

Histology:
2444 Clinical Laboratory Technologist
2459 Forensic Laboratory Manager		 2.00
0.50		 2.00
0.50
Subtotal - Histology

2.50 2.50
Total - Medical Services

16.00

16.00

Invesigative Services
2581 Administrative Coroner
2580 Coroner"s Investigator
TEMP Driver

1.00
11.90
1.54

1.00
11.00
1.54

Total - Investigative Services

14.44 13.54
Administrative Services
2584 Chief Medical Examiner
1844 Senior Management Assistant
1452 Executive Secretary II
1440 Medical Transcriber Typist
8138 Court Reporter

1.00
1.00
1.00
4.00
0.61

1.00
1.00
1.00
4.00 *
0.61

Total - Administrative Services

7.61

6.61

DEPARTMENT TOTAL

38.05

34.15

* One Medical Transcriber Typist has been on long-term disability leave for two years.

As part of the management audit of the Medical Examiner"s Office, the Budget Analyst examined issues related to staffing levels, workload, training and staff qualifications within each division of the Medical Examiner"s Office. In summary, the Budget Analyst found:

  • Deficiencies in training for Pathology, Investigations and Toxicology staff;

  • Discrepancies between staff qualifications and the required duties of and/or the actual duties being performed by staff members in the Pathology and Toxicology Sections;

  • Excessive staffing in Pathology, based on a workload analysis; and

  • Staffing levels for full-time and part-time positions in Investigations which are inconsistent with minimum staffing requirements.

These findings and related recommendations are described in greater detail in the following three sections: Pathology (Section VII.1), Investigations (Section VII.2) and Toxicology (Section VII.3). Implementing the recommendations contained in this section would result in annual savings of approximately $379,540.