On this week’s episode of the One O‘ahu Podcast, the City and County of Honolulu’s new Deputy Medical Examiner, Dr. Sasha Breland, joins host Brandi Higa to discuss her priorities in this new leadership role, shortening the time it takes to finalize reports, and her experience during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meeting Dr. Breland
Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced Oct. 1, 2024, the appointment of Dr. Sasha Breland as Deputy Medical Examiner.
“(My) major priority is to get this office accredited by the National Association of Medical Examiners,” explained Dr. Breland. “And what that does, it basically says that here at the office, we are operating according to national standards; meaning that the results that we produce are reproducible, and that we are on par with the rest of the nation.”
Dr. Breland holds a Bachelor of Science from Montclair State University and received her medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey (UMDNJ). She completed her residency training program where she went on to become Chief Resident at Rutgers University – New Jersey Medical School, and finished a Forensic Pathology Fellowship at Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences in Houston, Texas.
Clearing the backlog of cases
Another priority Dr. Breland goes on to discuss on the One O‘ahu Podcast is cutting down the time it takes to finalize reports and bring closure to families.
“Our number one focus right now is trying to recruit people, to come here and work in this office so that we can distribute cases better and everyone has enough time to get their cases done in a timely manner,” added Dr. Breland.
She goes on to explain that the national standard is to get 90% of your cases completed within 90 days.
Lessons from the pandemic
Dr. Breland most recently served as the Deputy Chief Medical Examiner and Medical Director for the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) where she managed an annual budget of approximately $12.5 million and directed a Death Investigations Division of approximately 70 employees. She was working there during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“(Washington) D.C. was very unique in that, unlike all the other jurisdictions in the U.S., we took jurisdiction of all the COVID-19 cases,” Dr. Breland said. “So, all the decedents, whether they died at home or in a hospital of COVID-19, came through our office.”
Dr. Breland goes on to add that other types of cases went up during this same time including homicides and drug deaths.
