Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Forensics topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Nueces County medical examiner warns staffing shortfall after autopsies surged in 2012
Summary
Medical Examiner Dr. Fernandez told the court bodies handled rose from 599 in 2010 to 680 in 2012 and that autopsy counts exceeded national accreditation thresholds; he urged advertising for a deputy medical examiner, modest facility renovations and upgrading part‑time staff to protect accreditation.
Dr. Fernandez, the Nueces County medical examiner, warned commissioners that rising case volumes have pushed the office toward an accreditation shortfall unless the county takes recruitment and staffing steps.
He reported that cases handled by the office (including surrounding counties) rose from 599 in 2010 to 680 in 2012 and that homicides increased from 30 (2010) to 47 (2012). "In 2010, 599... and then 2012, 680," he said as he walked through calendar‑year figures. He told the court he personally performed 349 autopsies in 2012 and that the National Association of Medical Examiners27 guidance marks a concern when an autopsy physician is required to perform more than roughly 325 autopsies per year.
The doctor said inspectors will review the office in early 2014 and that a Phase‑2 deficiency could be recorded for the autopsy volume unless the county can show active corrective work. Recommended next steps included public advertising for a deputy medical examiner (he warned recruiting could take months to years because forensic pathologists are scarce), upgrading part‑time autopsy staff to allow weekend coverage, modest renovations to create another office (estimated about $12,000) and consideration of fee adjustments for out‑of‑county work to support hiring.
Several commissioners asked whether the 325 threshold referred to Nueces County only or to total workload including surrounding counties; Dr. Fernandez said the accreditation threshold is a total‑office number and recommended recruitment and scheduling changes and noted the office already offers tiered billing options to surrounding jurisdictions for different levels of examination.
The medical examiner said having an accredited office is a legal and prosecutorial safeguard: an inspection failure could be raised by defense counsel in court. Commissioners asked staff to consider recruitment, part‑time scheduling changes and possible facility work in the budget process.
