FY16 Department
Director Work and
Performance Plan
THOMAS D. OWENS, M.D.
MECKLENBURG COUNTY GOVERNMENT
MEDICAL EXAMINERS’ OFFICE
Rating Criteria:
Exemplary (E): Almost always demonstrates these behaviors
Successful (S): Frequently demonstrates these behaviors
Needs Improvement (NI): Infrequently demonstrates these behaviors
Key Initiative #1 – Obtain Board Recertification
Description: Obtain board recertification from American Board of Pathology in the areas of Anatomic
Pathology, Clinical Pathology, and Forensic Pathology through completion of maintenance of certification
(MOC) examination.
Rationale: Board certification is a requirement of employment at the Mecklenburg County ME Office,
including the department director. Board certification in a discipline is a recognized indicator of expertise in
that field. Board certifications are now time-limited to 10 years and recertification must be obtained every 10
years. There are requirements that must be met every 2 years as well as passing of the MOC recertification
examination in either year 8, 9, or 10 of the cycle. My primary certification was obtained in 2006. I am now 9
years out on my primary certification and must take and pass the examination before December 31, 2016 to
remain board certified.
Completion Date: Expected by October 2015 if successful during first test administration.
If unsuccessful, will retake test in Spring 2016 with expected completion by June 2016.
Updates/Project Milestones:
Application for fall 2015 examination was due and completed - April 2015
Study for examination - May through August 2015
Examination August 17-20, 2015 (specific date to be determined in June)
Results in late September/early October 2015
IF unsuccessful in first testing, will retake as follows:
Reapply for spring 2016 examination in December 2015
Study for examination - January through March 2016
Examination in March 2016
Results in April 2016
Outcome/Measures:
End of year reporting ONLY
• Brief statement on if the project addressed the issue it was intended to address. If so, how.
• Statement on if project was completed at or below budget (update at end of fiscal year). If not, why?
• Statement on whether or not performance metric goals were met.
Key Initiative #2 – Continue toward 24/7 in-office Investigator coverage
Description: Continue progression of the Office toward 24/7 coverage with full time trained death
investigators. Increase scene visits.
Rationale: Initiative began in 2015 with addition of a full time investigator to cover the office Monday
through Friday from 1030pm to 630am. This has allowed for full time in office coverage by a single
investigator during the evening and overnight hours of the regular work week. The office has been successful
in responding to more death scenes and offering better service to the public and law enforcement by having
these available full time staff rather than part time staff who work from home and have been unavailable to
attend scenes. Coverage for weekend hours and vacation/illness of full time staff has still been provided by
part time staff. The entire State ME system continues to undergo updating with new legislation under
consideration at this time. It is expected that this legislation will require more scene visits by death
investigators to address the deficiencies and errors in the current system. Having full time staff in the office
also allows for reduction of certain risks identified by internal audit.
Completion Date:
Filling of new investigator positions authorized by the County Manager’s proposed budget for 2016 by early
spring 2017. Complete 24/7 coverage by full time staff cannot be achieved with the current staff. This is an
ongoing initiative that will continue into FY17. Please see updates/milestones.
Updates/Project Milestones:
Post Lead Investigator position - August 2015
Interview Lead Investigator - August-September 2015
Hire Lead Investigator/start work - October - November 2015
Training for Lead Investigator - November - December 2015
Post ME Investigator position - October 2015
Interview ME investigator - November 2015
Hire ME Investigator - December 2015 - January 2016
Training ME Investigator - January - March 2016
Elimination of designated limited part-time positions as outlined in the budget by January 1, 2016
Ask for additional investigators to fully staff office for FY17 - May 2016 (budget process)
Outcome/Measures:
End of year reporting ONLY
• Brief statement on if the project addressed the issue it was intended to address. If so, how.
• Statement on if project was completed at or below budget (update at end of fiscal year). If not, why?
• Statement on whether or not performance metric goals were met.
Key Initiative #3 – Staff ME Office with Certified Medicolegal Death Investigators
Description: Continuation of 2015 initiative. Investigators will continue to work toward completion of
certification by the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI).
Rationale: In order to properly respond to death scenes and perform competent and thorough investigations
while assisting law enforcement, investigators need to be properly trained and certified in death investigations.
This initiative proactively addresses the expected changes in the State ME system requirements for scene
visitation and death investigation in NC and allows for best practices for the office. The initiative may continue
in FY 17 for some of the staff as this is an individual process for each investigator and can take 12-18 months
to complete.
Completion Date:
For those investigators who began the process in January 2015, the expected completion date is June 2016.
For any new positions that have not begun the certification process, the completion date will be in FY 17.
Updates/Project Milestones: (for current staff)
Investigators complete 30% of checklist by June/July 2015
Access the remaining checklist items and address completion on a continuous basis, July 2015- March 2016
Investigators complete 100% of checklist by spring FY 16
Investigators pass registry examination by June 2016
Any new investigators hired in 2015 will begin the 18 month process in Spring 2016 and undergo checklist
completion and certification into FY17/18.
Outcome/Measures:
End of year reporting ONLY
• Brief statement on if the project addressed the issue it was intended to address. If so, how.
• Statement on if project was completed at or below budget (update at end of fiscal year). If not, why?
• Statement on whether or not performance metric goals were met.
Key Initiative #4 – Increase ME Office Involvement with Law Enforcement Training
Description: Continuation and expansion of initiative from FY15 to involve more law enforcement groups.
Rationale: The training of CMPD homicide detectives for FY15 was highly successful. This initiative seeks
to expand that training to include all new patrol classes at the Police academy, Sheriff’s office, and local
municipalities within Mecklenburg County (Davidson, Cornelius, Huntersville, Mint Hill, Matthews, and
Pineville). The training has helped to establish better collaborative working relationship between the office
and law enforcement.
Completion Date: Offer training classes/opportunities for all the law enforcement divisions in Mecklenburg
County by end of FY16
Updates/Project Milestones:
Begin talks to include training in CMPD patrol classes - August 2015
Discuss training with the Sheriff’s Office and other municipalities - September 2015
Set up training for Sheriff’s Office throughout FY16 - begin in October/November 2015
Set up training for the six municipalities throughout FY16 - begin in October/November 2015
Outcome/Measures:
End of year reporting ONLY
• Brief statement on if the project addressed the issue it was intended to address. If so, how.
• Statement on if project was completed at or below budget (update at end of fiscal year). If not, why?
• Statement on whether or not performance metric goals were met.
Key Initiative #5: 3-Year Department Strategic Business Plan (FY17-FY19)
Description:
Create a 3-Year department strategic business plan that incorporates department initiatives (including those
aligned to Mecklenburg Livable Communities Plan), identifies upcoming business imperatives and links
initiatives to the budget process.
Rationale:
Department strategic business planning is essential to outlining departmental goals, strategies and measures that
will serve as the guiding document for budgeting from FY17-FY19.
Completion Date:
January 2016
Updates/Project Milestones:
August 2015: “Train-the-Facilitator” training
September 10, 2015: County Manager’s Strategic Planning Retreat
September – January 2016: Departments Draft Strategic Business plans
Outcome/Measures:
Successful completion of a 3-Year Strategic Business Plan for FY17-FY19