The City and County of Honolulu Department of the Medical Examiner’s office just celebrated a $5.9 million upgrade to its facilities — and has tentatively filled a long-standing vacancy in its deputy medical examiner position.
Renovations to the department’s downtown office included repairs to a leaky roof, two new autopsy stations and a fixed air conditioning system. The department also upgraded its X-ray machine and got a new mortuary refrigerator.
The upgraded refrigeration expands its capacity to 140 bodies, up from 60.
Department staff said water used to drip into the room where autopsies were conducted prior to the renovations due to the leaky roof.
“ I just remembered how much I was sweating during the autopsy examination before the renovations, but now we have great AC and wonderful ventilation. So, I'm very comfortable working (here) and in my office. I can focus more on my job,” Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Masahiko Kobayashi said.
The building also has a dedicated family waiting room, which allows families to properly grieve their loved ones.
“When somebody has to come and do the last task of picking up personal property of somebody they love that's passed away, they can do it with some privacy and some dignity,” said Charlotte Carter, a city medicolegal investigator.
“Before they used to come and sit at one of our desks with our investigators. You know, there might be four or five other complete strangers during that really, really emotional and intimate moment,” she added.
The department is also looking to upgrade its generators to ensure power in the building and a CT scanner to help aid with autopsies.
A new deputy medical examiner could also soon be added to the staff. The department has had difficulties filling its six pathologist positions, which include Kobayashi and the deputy medical examiner.
Four pathologists have been handling all the autopsies on Oʻahu, which Kobayashi has called “unsustainable.”
However, a potential hire has accepted the deputy job and could start working in October.
The Honolulu Salary Commission this year gave raises to Kobayashi and the deputy medical examiner position to help retain and fill those positions. Both positions now have a salary of around $400,000.
The deputy position has been vacant since 2019, and Kobayashi told the commission that while there was a shortage of pathologists, there was an increase in the number of caseloads. While the pay for pathologists in the city remains competitive, the high cost of living appears to keep potential candidates away.
