National Association of Medical Examiner Accreditation
The Spokane County Medical Examiner's Office achieved the distinction of Accreditation by the National Association of Medical Examiners in April, 2004, was re-accredited in May of 2009, was re-accredited again in June of 2014 and most recently re-accredited in May of 2020. Accreditation inspection occurs every 5 years. The National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) is the national professional organization of forensic pathologists, physician medical examiners, medical death investigators, death investigation system administrators, and consultants who perform the official duties of medicolegal investigation of deaths of public interest in the United States. Most members work as Medical Examiners or Coroners.
Accreditation is a rigorous process, and requires a lengthy inspection by an independent Medical Examiner appointed by the organization. The accreditation requirements are 30 pages long, and include 350 items covering things such as how many autopsies are performed each year, how specimens are labeled, death investigation protocols, etc. Of 2,342 death investigation systems in the United States, currently there are only 85 fully NAME accredited Medical Examiner and Coroner Offices.