Upgrading Coroner’s Office

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors took a very positive step last week in authorizing the hiring of six staff pathologists for the coroner’s office. While the board stopped short of changing the office to that of a medical examiner--with a physician at the top rather than a layman--the addition of the full-time pathologists should lead to considerable improvement in the functioning of the office.

In recent years, prosecutors, defense attorneys and local pathologists have criticized the work of the corner’s office as being sloppy. But Coroner David Stark, a former embalmer, has argued that his office was simply overworked and ill equipped.

Under the existing system, pathologists who contract with the county are paid $100 an autopsy, a system that critics contend encourages rapid work and high volume rather than meticulousness. As part of the $800,000, 40% increase in the coroner’s annual budget, Stark’s office will be getting a supervising pathologist, five other pathologists, a toxicologist, a laboratory assistant and several pieces of needed equipment.

While we still believe that it would be better to make the change to a medical examiner’s office, this upgrading of the coroner’s office is a vast improvement. A majority of the board, and Stark, believe the existing system offers the best management and bang for the buck. With this long-overdue expansion, Stark has the opportunity to show that the coroner’s office can be run effectively and professionally.