DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL EXAMINER SERVICES

25090

Competitive

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS

      The work involves responsibility for providing administrative and technical (scientific equipment, physical plant and computer and software systems) direction for the Onondaga County Health Department Medical Examiner’s Office (OCMEO), including pathology, forensic autopsy, forensic investigation, forensic toxicology and administrative divisions.  Administrative supervision is exercised over paraprofessional, professional, technical and clerical staff in all divisions of the Medical Examiner’s Office.  Does related work as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES  

Supervises, assigns and evaluates work product and provides training for administrative staff on responsibilities related to records release, quality review, database and report-writing software queries.

Manages 24-hour/7-day service schedule.

Responsible for all financial and budgetary operations of the Medical Examiner’s Office, including the procurement of equipment and supplies, staffing, training and continuing education.

Responsible for grants, contracts, operating budget management and oversight, and oversees the revenue contracts and operational needs with other counties.

Directs a comprehensive quality assurance and improvement program for Medical Examiner’s Office divisions, to ensure the office is compliant with National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) accreditation standards and other objectives/goals identified for improvement. 

Oversees and completes the annual NAME accreditation standards checklist and prepares for and organizes NAME inspections.

Formulates Medical Examiner’s Office policies, in conjunction with OCMEO supervisory staff and maintains and updates records of policies.

Evaluates all programs and makes recommendations for necessary changes.

Reviews services provided and program cost factors for evaluation purposes and conducts program evaluations to maintain and improve services.

Supervises the collection of unnatural and sudden death data for the Central New York region and for driving under the influence data in Onondaga County, which is relied upon by various local, State and National agencies that implement and evaluate ongoing or proposed health and mental health programs.

Controls the collection of statistical measures of workload indicators and narrative reports and their dissemination to other Department persons and outside County and State agencies for budgetary forecasting, annual reporting, accreditation, billing and grant compliance requirements.

Completes the Medical Examiner’s Office Annual Report as required for NAME accreditation.

Utilizes appropriate methods for interacting effectively and professionally with persons of all ages and from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial and ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, lifestyles and physical abilities.

Participates in public health preparedness activities as trained and assigned.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

Thorough knowledge of the principles, practices and methods of administration of Medical Examiner services.

Thorough knowledge of quality assurance and accreditation as they relate to Medical Examiner services..

Good knowledge of Onondaga County rules and regulations and New York State Public Health Laws and Codes.  

Working knowledge of the principles and practices of public health administration in budgetary, personnel and management areas, including grant writing.

Working knowledge of the principles and practices of administrative supervision.

Ability to plan, direct and evaluate Medical Examiner services.

Ability to supervise and direct a diverse group of professional, paraprofessional and clerical staff.

Ability to organize and present ideas and recommendations clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing.

Ability to compile and organize clear, concise and accurate written and oral reports.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

1. Graduation from a regionally accredited college or university with a Master’s degree or higher in public health, public administration, hospital administration, nursing, health education, nursing home administration, social work or a closely related field and five (5) years of professional-level work experience, or its part-time equivalent, in the administration of a health or clinical health program, which must have been in a supervisory capacity; or,
2. Graduation from a regionally accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree in public health, public administration, hospital administration, nursing, health education, nursing home administration, social work or a closely related field and six (6) years of professional-level work experience, or its part-time equivalent, in the administration of a health or clinical health program, five (5) years of which must have been in a supervisory capacity.

01/2024 Date of Original Composition