NATIONAL ASSOCIATION GRANTS FULL ACCREDITATION TO CITY MEDICAL EXAMINER DEPARTMENT

(Honolulu, October 13, 2009)-Mayor Mufi Hannemann announced today that the City & County of Honolulu’s Department of the Medical Examiner has received full accreditation from the National Association of Medical Examiners  (NAME).

“NAME accredited offices represent the highest quality of death investigation systems,” said Mayor Hannemann.  “I couldn’t be more pleased with the professionalism and caring attitude Dr. Kanthi de Alwis and Dr. William Goodhue and their staff bring to our City’s medical examiner’s office.  The national accreditation is a well-earned and well-deserved validation of their organization,” said Mayor Hannemann

Honolulu is one of only 50 of the more than 23-hundred death investigative systems in the United States to receive the full accreditation of the National Association of Medical Examiners.

“In recent years, full accreditation has become a much more stringent process,” said City Medical Examiner Dr. Kanthi deAlwis.  “In fact, 7 previously accredited systems have lapsed.  The fact that the City & County of Honolulu has gained full accreditation is a testament to the support given to our office by Mayor Hannemann, his administration and the Honolulu City Council. 

An on-site inspection was held in July.  National inspectors looked at reports and record keeping, morgue operations, security, investigations, quality assurance, toxicology, mass disaster plans, personnel and staffing and a variety of other standards in granting the Department of the Medical Examiner full accreditation.

The Department of the Medical Examiner joins the Honolulu Fire Department and Honolulu Police Department in receiving full national accreditation.

                                                              #