WV Medical Examiner’s Office Reduces Autopsy Report Backlog
West Virginia Sees Progress in Reducing Autopsy Report Backlog
Charleston, WV – The West Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) has made significant strides in tackling a backlog of uncompleted autopsy reports this year, according to testimony delivered to lawmakers Tuesday.
Matthew Izzo, chief administrator for the state OCME, told members of the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability that internal workflow initiatives have led to a reduction of nearly 500 open cases in 2023.
This progress comes after Izzo revealed a concerning situation last fall. At that time, he informed the committee that a shortage of forensic pathologists had resulted in an average autopsy report completion time of 240 days. Over 300 reports had been pending for more than a year, with 46 decedents remaining unidentified.
While the OCME still faces challenges, Izzo reported that the average completion time has decreased to approximately 195 days.
“We’re still not close to the goal of 90 percent of cases done in 90 days,but we have made improvements and will continue to work towards meeting our goals,” Izzo stated.
The office continues to grapple with a shortage of forensic pathologists, currently employing only five board-certified professionals. This falls short of national standards,which recommend 12 full-time deputy medical examiners and one chief medical examiner.
“The foundation of the medical examiner in west Virginia and truly in any medical examiner’s system across the nation is the forensic pathologist,” Izzo emphasized. “Our shortcomings in the ability to recruit and retain board certified forensic pathologists is not news to any of you. The individual forensic pathologist is the building block of the system. The remaining staff of the OCME are built around providing direct support to the forensic pathologist who are determining cause and manner of death in our cases.”
Izzo highlighted the nationwide scarcity of forensic pathologists, noting that the United States has fewer than 500 board-certified professionals.
“West Virginia OCME must compete directly with every other medical examiner system in the nation and beyond for these scarce resources,” he explained. “To be competitive,west Virginia must have competitive salaries and modern competitive facilities to recruit and retain forensic pathologists.”
he pointed to the upcoming consolidated state laboratory, to be constructed at the West Virginia Regional Technology Park, as a crucial step towards enhancing the OCME’s competitiveness. The $250 million facility will house the OCME alongside other state agencies, including the Department of Health’s Office of Laboratory Services and the State Police.Construction is slated to begin in September 2025, with a projected move-in date between November 2027 and February 2028.
Izzo stressed the need for additional investment in equipment for the new facility.
He urged lawmakers to consider Senate Bill 572, introduced during the 2024 regular session, as a means of attracting and retaining forensic pathologists.The bill proposes a loan repayment program for professionals working in the OCME. While the bill passed out of the Senate health committee last year, it did not advance further.
West Virginia Sees Progress in reducing Autopsy Report Backlog, But challenges Remain
Charleston, WV - After facing a concerning backlog of autopsy reports, the West Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) is seeing progress through internal workflow initiatives, according to testimony delivered to lawmakers Tuesday.
Chief administrator Matthew Izzo reported that nearly 500 open cases have been reduced in 2023. This betterment comes after Izzo revealed a significant backlog last fall, with an average autopsy report completion time of 240 days and over 300 reports pending for more than a year.
While the average completion time has decreased to approximately 195 days, Izzo acknowledged the OCME is still far from its goal of 90 percent of cases completed within 90 days. He emphasized the critical need for forensic pathologists, stating that the office currently employs only five, falling short of national standards.
Izzo highlighted the nationwide shortage of these specialists, noting West Virginia faces fierce competition to recruit and retain them. He stressed the importance of competitive salaries and modern facilities, pointing to the upcoming consolidated state laboratory as a potential solution.
Scheduled to be completed in 2028 at the West Virginia Regional Technology Park, the $250 million facility will house the OCME alongside other state agencies. Izzo urged lawmakers to consider Senate Bill 572, a proposed loan repayment program for OCME professionals, to address the challenges of attracting and retaining forensic pathologists.