The percent of autopsy and examination reports completed within 90 calendar days of the initial autopsy or examination.

The completion rate for reports was stable in both January and February. However, March marked a decline. This reduction was coincides with two concurrent challenges:

1. The office experienced some unexpected changes to pathology staffing levels.

2. Simultaneously, the office registered a moderate, yet impactful, uptick in overall caseload, which compounded the strain on the diminished team.

In response, the Office initiated a multi-faceted strategy in April, designed to increase efficiency and address the core staffing shortfall. The strategic initiatives implemented were:

1. Implementation of the 'Ready-to-Work' (RTW) Process: This new workflow was a primary driver of internal efficiency. Under the RTW protocol, a case is not designated as 'Ready-to-Work' for the pathologist to complete final report generation until all required documentation, such as toxicology results, law enforcement reports, and final photographic evidence are in hand and uploaded to the case file. This requires assigned staff to be proactive for all cases in ordering minimum necessary reports and getting all documentation uploaded into the case management system. The RTW process ensures that pathologist time is focused purely on analysis and report finalization, eliminating unproductive time spent chasing missing data.

2. Implementation of Strategies to Protect Pathologist Time: Front office staff were instructed to perform due diligence before directing calls to pathologists, an assistant was designated as a point of contact to schedule time with pathologists as necessary rather than interupting their work for phone calls or impromptu meetings. 

3. Utilization of External Pathology Support: To immediately offset the internal staffing deficit, the Office engaged qualified external pathology services. These external resources were deployed to assume responsibility for a manageable portion of the existing caseload, providing critical relief to the in-house team and allowing them to focus on newer, priority cases.