Maine’s Office of Chief Medical Examiner has been cited as “one of the best medical examiner offices in the country.”

The National Association of Medical Examiners made that comment in a report granting the Maine office full accreditation. It said the office has “a staff that is enthusiastic and committed to high professional standards and completing high-quality reports furnished with exemplary speed and accuracy.”

The Office of Chief Medical Examiner is charged with the investigation of sudden, unexpected and violent deaths in Maine. It determines the cause and manner of deaths and when necessary performs autopsies. The office investigates more 3,000 deaths each year.

The chief medical examiner, Dr. Mark Flomenbaum, leads a staff of 12 people. He was appointed in 2014 by Gov. Paul LePage after serving as deputy chief medical examiner under Dr. Margaret Greenwald.

“The accreditation and accolades by the national association is an extraordinary acknowledgement and validation of the good work and team effort put in by Dr. Flomenbaum and the staff,” Attorney General Janet Mills said in a statement Tuesday. “Their hard work providing closure to families ensures that we get it right when investigating and understanding unexplained deaths.”

Mills, whose office works closely with the Flomenbaum’s office, said the accreditation will remain in effect for five years.

“This is a team effort, not just with the central office staff in Augusta, but also with dozens of physicians around our state who volunteer their time and expertise and are a crucial part of the success of our mission,” Flomenbaum said.

Dr. Lisa Funte is the state’s deputy chief medical examiner. Mark Belserene is the office administrator.

 

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