Office of the Chief Medical Examiner reaffirms highest accreditation from the National Association of Medical Examiners

SAN FRANCISCO, CA---The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) today announced it has achieved full accreditation from the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) following its recent inspection. Full accreditation reflects the highest standard of service delivery in forensic pathology and innovation in toxicology and laboratory procedures nationwide.

The OCME last achieved full accreditation in 2022 and remains one of only two medical examiner’s offices in California to have achieved this honor. Accreditation is reevaluated every four years by NAME.

NAME is the premier accreditation organization for medical examiner and coroner offices nationwide, promoting the highest quality forensic pathology practice and medicolegal death investigation in the world. NAME grants accreditation through an extensive peer reviewed process and rigorous inspection, with close to 350 requirements measuring quality and success.

"Public safety is my top priority—and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is central to that mission," said Mayor Daniel Lurie. "The OCME's work supports critical investigations and strengthens our justice system, and this national accreditation is a testament to the professionalism and dedication of the entire team."

“San Francisco’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner upholds an unwavering commitment to high-quality forensic pathology and to supporting families seeking closure after the loss of a loved one,” said City Administrator Carmen Chu. “Achieving full accreditation reflects the substantial progress we have made in establishing a nation-leading medical examiner’s office, from modernizing operations to embedding continuous quality improvement into our daily work. I want to thank Dr. Liverman and the entire team at the OCME for their professionalism, dedication, and continued excellence.”

“When I stepped into this role nearly five years ago, the goal was clear— to build a medical examiner’s office that meets the highest professional standards and delivers excellent service to the people of San Francisco and our city partners,” said Dr. Christopher Liverman, Chief Medical Examiner. “With the steadfast support of the City Administrator’s Office, the strength of our leadership team, and the dedication of our staff, we have realized that vision.”

To achieve full accreditation, OCME must satisfy, without interruption, the completion of autopsy and toxicology reports in a timely manner (reports completed within 90 days in at least 90% of cases) and maintain a consistent balance in medical examiner caseloads. Since 2021, the OCME has reduced turnaround times for postmortem reports by over 65%, with current toxicology report deliveries averaging 15 days and autopsy report deliveries averaging 60 days. The office maintains a robust portfolio of in-house toxicology and histology services, with operations supported by five board-certified forensic pathologists, as well as available consultants in forensic anthropology, all pathology subspecialties, forensic odontology, and radiology.

Full accreditation is an endorsement of the work of the OCME team in its effort to meet the highest standards of ethics, excellence, and empathy in the prompt certification of the cause and manner of death for decedents under its jurisdiction, as well as the delivery of impartial forensic services for the community and the justice system.

In addition to NAME accreditation, the OCME’s Forensic Laboratory Division continued to achieve accreditation with the American Board of Forensic Toxicology, positioning itself as a model laboratory to other in-house forensic toxicology labs. By increasing the scope and speed of testing, the Forensic Laboratory Division ensures the impact of drugs in the community is understood and rapidly reported. OCME also oversees a professional development fellowship, training early career professionals as forensic autopsy technicians, a highly specialized position difficult to recruit nationwide, to support the completion of autopsies.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is responsible for the investigation and certification of any sudden, unexpected, and violent deaths of legal or public health interest, including determining the cause, circumstances, and manner of death. OCME also provides useful reports, such as the monthly Accidental Overdose Reports, and conducts briefings to inform policymakers and public health officials and help improve outcomes.

For more information, visit OCME’s website.