Kentucky Justice Secretary John Tilley, the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville announced a new partnership Monday that will strengthen the state Medical Examiners Office, a vital step amid the deadly opioid epidemic and a national shortage of forensic doctors.
Under the agreement, the Justice Cabinet will contract with the universities for forensic pathology services, combining resources for both autopsies and medical education. The move is expected to boost salaries for doctors, helping improve recruitment and retention, and it will help the cabinet avoid charging counties a fee for autopsies.
Tilly says the opioid crisis has placed tremendous strains on our state. He says By partnering with universities, we can improve the pay and size of our forensics team while also ensuring that families, coroners and police get the answers they need when tragedy strikes.
The agreement also will help UK and U-of-L maximize training opportunities for medical students and residents in pathology.
UK will provide up to four pathologists in state medical examiner offices; U-of-L will provide up to six.
The Medical Examiners Office currently employs nine doctors – six in Louisville, two in Frankfort and one in Madisonville.
In 2016, the office resumed services in Madisonville, following a two-year hiatus, helping coroners and law enforcement agencies across Western Kentucky reduce travel costs and obtain evidence at a faster pace.
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