2.0 Death Investigation Flashcards
A process whereby a Coroner or Forensic Pathologists seeks to understand how and why a person died.
Death Investigation
- An official who investigates violent, sudden or suspicious death.
- Investigates all deaths where the cause is unknown.
- Where there is reason to think the death may not be due to natural causes, or which need an inquiry for some other reason.
Coroner
- England
- Eyre or Judicial Circuit
- Inspecting villages
- Holding court
- Settling disputes
- Levying fines
- Also called “Crowners”
1994 Coroner
- A properly trained physician charged with the responsibility and authority to investigate deaths and to determine cause and manner of death in a particular jurisdiction.
Medical Examiner
- The subspecialty of medicine devoted to the medical investigation of death.
Forensic Pathology
DEATH INVESTIGATION SYSTEMS
- Determine the __________, and how death came about.
- Identify the _________.
- Determine the _________ and _________.
- __________ from the body that may be useful in the police investigation.
- Document injuries that are present or absence.
- Deduce how injuries occurred.
- Document any ______ present.
- Document or exclude any __________ or ___________ in the death.
- cause of death
- decedent
- time of death; injury
- Collect evidence
- Document injuries
- natural disease
- causative or contributory factors
- The most important section of the Medical Examiner’s office.
- Takes a leading role in helping to establish positive identification of the decedent.
- Responsible for transporting decedents, finger printing, inventorying personal effects and admitting and releasing bodies from the morgue.
Investigator
- Also known as Medical Section
- Forensic pathologists and technician
- Includes Forensic odontologists and other medical specialists that can help in determining the decedent’s cause and manner of death and its identification.
Autopsy Section
- A surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of death or to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present for research or educational purposes.
Autopsy
- Also known as Post-mortem examination, Obduction, Necropsy, or Autopsia cadaverum
- Performed by a specialized medical doctor called a pathologist.
Autopsy
PURPOSES OF AUTOPSY
- Determine if death was natural or unnatural.
- Injury source and extent on the corpse.
- Manner of death must be determined.
- Time since death.
- Establish identity of the deceased.
- Retain relevant organs.
- If it is an infant, determine live birth and viability.
o Seek to find the cause and manner of death and to identify the decedent.
o They are generally performed, as prescribed by applicable law, in cases of violent, suspicious or sudden deaths, deaths without medical assistance or during surgical procedures.
Medico-legal or Forensic or Coroner’s Autopsies
o Performed to diagnose a particular disease or for research purposes.
o They aim to determine, clarify, or confirm medical diagnoses that remained unknown or unclear prior to the patient’s death.
Clinical or Pathological Autopsies
o Are performed by students of anatomy for study purpose only.
Anatomical or Academic Autopsies
o Performed utilizing imaging technology only, primarily magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT).
Virtual or Medical Imaging Autopsies
- A scientific discipline, overlapping with biology, chemistry, pharmacology, and medicine, that involves the study of the adverse effects of chemical substances on living organisms and the practice of diagnosing and treating exposures to toxins and toxicants.
TOXICOLOGY SECTION/LABORATORY
- Integral to the function of any modern medical examiner’s office.
- Blood analysis and other body fluids are examined.
TOXICOLOGY SECTION/LABORATORY
is the discipline that requires physician status (MD degree plus specialty education and experience).
Medical Toxicology
is the discipline that can be practiced not only by physicians, but also other health professionals with a master’s degree in clinical toxicology.
Clinical Toxicology
is the discipline that makes use of toxicology and other disciplines such as analytical chemistry, pharmacology and clinical chemistry to aid medical or legal investigation of death, poisoning. and drug use. The primary concern for forensic toxicology is not the legal outcome of the toxicological investigation or the technology utilized, but rather the obtainment and interpretation of results.
Forensic Toxicology
is a discipline that develops mathematical and computer-based models to better understand and predict adverse health effects caused by chemicals, such as environmental pollutants and pharmaceuticals.
Computational Toxicology
- Provide critical interface of the office with the public.
- Transcription of physician’s dictated reports.
- Preparation of death certificate.
- Coordination on court appearances.
- Maintenance of documents, records and data.
- Responds to subpoena, public information queries and the myriad.
The Clerical Section
- Under the chief medical examiner.
- Full authority over operational, budgetary and personnel matters.
- Determines procedure and policies of the office.
- Responsible for all investigations and examinations, and for maintaining the quality of the office’s work products.
Administration
- The complete story of the history, physical examination, diagnosis, treatment and care of a patient.
- “Do not treat a stranger”
Patient’s Record
A. Identification data/ personal data/ patient’s demographics
B. Medical history
C. Relevant family history
D. Pregnancy history for females
E. Dental history
F. Clinical examination
Patient’s Record
Types of toxicology
- Medical Toxicology
- Clinical Toxicology
- Forensic Toxicology
- Computational Toxicology
- An innovative, safe and easy to use method to document the results after a completed dental procedure.
- It is a method that can be used for multiple purposes including promotion, education, and documentation of achieved results.
Dental Photography
- The main purpose of taking clinical photographs in dentistry is to make an accurate record of the clinical findings in a patient’s mouth.
- Forensic photographers use photography to support evidence in a legal case in a court of law. They usually work for police departments, a coroner’s office, or sheriff’s department providing the following services: Taking photographs of evidence and accidents or crime scenes.
Dental Photography
They provide a static, in-depth look at the patient’s dentition that is easily reviewed and compared with.
Diagnosis and treatment planning
Improves patient’s understanding and case acceptance.
Enhanced patient education and communication
Proper photo documentation may help a mistreated patient or, on the other hand, defend a colleague who has provided appropriate treatment. Perhaps it may even save you!
Legal documentation
A photograph can be used to support a narrative.
Insurance verification
Introduce an entirely new dimension to our reports.
Specialist consultation/referral
A color-corrected photograph can provide much needed information to create a final restoration with more accurate hue, value, and chroma.
Laboratory communication
Patient before/after photos are powerful images that can motivate and excite patients to pursue a treatment plan, while showcasing your skill set.
Professional advertising/marketing
A photo is worth a thousand words and sparks more interest and discussion than bullet points.
Professional Instruction
Photographs don’t lie, and honest self-assessment helps us to improve the quality of care we provide to our patients.
Self education/improvement
We should all do likewise - practice dentistry as if our daily work were going to be photographed and published in a renowned dental journal, to be viewed and critiqued by our peers.
Treatment philosophy and work ethic
How are dental photographs stored?
The dental records should be stored securely in a __________ or ________. The area where the dental records are kept should be protected from unauthorized access, theft and damage.
- fireproof cupboard or filing cabinet
