Workshop on the Medicolegal Death Investigation System

Institute of Medicine
500 Fifth Street NW
Washington DC 20001
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tel: 202.334.2352
fax: 202.334.1412

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(Journalists Only)
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tel. 202.334.2138
fax: 202.334.2158

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Event Date:

March 24, 2003 - March 25, 2003

This workshop highlighted the status, needs, and potential of the medicolegal death investigation system in the United States as administered by the medical examiners and coroners. The focus was on the role of the medical examiner/coroner death investigation system and its promise for improving: the criminal justice system; health and medical care; public health surveillance; epidemiologic research; prevention programs; and response to bioterrorism. Professionalization and standardization of death investigation systems and operations were discussed.

Please click here for the Agenda.

Following are the presentations given at the workshop. Please click on the titles to download the presentations.

PANEL 1 Status, Infrastructure, and Training
Chair: Richard Bonnie

The Medicolegal Death Investigation Systems in the US: R Hanzlick.

The Infrastructure of ME System Especially ME/Coroner Facilities: V Weedn

Training and Certification in Forensic Pathology: R Zumwalt

Training, Registry and Certification of Investigators: MF Ernst

Research Issues: K Nolte

Toxicology Issues and Infrastructure: A Trachtenberg

PANEL 2 Professionalism, Standards, and Quality
Chair: Bob Wallace

NAME Accreditation of Offices: G Peterson

NIJ Guide for Death Scene Investigation: S Clark

Quality Assurance in Medical Examiner Practice: R Zumwalt

PANEL 3 Comparison of ME and Coroner Systems
Chair: Tom Pearson

Advantages and Disadvantages of ME System: M Fierro

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Coroner System: C Parrott

PANEL 4 Medicolegal Death Investigation and the Criminal Justice System
Chair: David Kaye

The Value of Medical Expertise in Death Investigation: C Hirsch

Adequacy of Expertise and Services Available to DI Systems-Crime Lab: S Narveson

Adequacy of Expertise and Services Available to DI Systems-Other Consultants and Services Available: MF Ernst

PANEL 5 Medicolegal Death Investigation and Public Health and Health Care
Chair: Tom Pearson

The Use of ME/C Data for Public: D Sosin

Health Surveillance: including Nonfatal Injuries: S Hargarten

Quality of the Death Certification Data, B Anderson

ME/C Information Systems: S Groseclose

Medicolegal Death Investigation and Medical Malpractice and Other Civil Suits: G Peterson

PANEL 6 Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness
Chair: Kathleen Toomey

The Potential Role of ME/Cs in Responding to and Planning for Bioterrorism and Emerging Infectious Disease: K Nolte

Terrorism and Mass Disaster: C Hirsch

The Federal Role in DI System-OAFME: C Mallack

Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team: P Sledzick

Overview: V Weedn
The following handouts were provided to the workshop participants:

Low-Tech Autopsies in the Era of High-Tech Medicine: Continued Value for Quality Assurance and Patient Safety: G Lundberg

Bibliography-The ME/C Role in Emerging Infections and Bioterrorism: K Nolte

Disaster Mortuary Oerational Response Team: P Sledzik

Potential Roles of the Federal Government: V. Weedn

NAME Infrastructure Survey Report: V. Weedn

Resources & Links
	Medicolegal workshop handout-Hirsch-Value of ME


Last Updated: 9/02/2003, 03:56 PM	RSS

Agenda for Medicolegal Workshop