Survey of Medical Examiner Office Computerization

Abstract

Following a suggestion that the National Association of Medical Examiners (N.A.M.E.) develop a N.A.M.E. Information Center (NIC), N.A.M.E. conducted a survey to evaluate the current status of medical examiner office automation (computerization) in the United States. Responses were received from 80 unique reporting areas, including 75 medical examiner offices, which represent approximately 30% of the 258 medical examiner jurisdictions in the country. A total of 58 responders (65%) indicated that their office was automated. At least 38 states have one or more automated death investigation office, and electronic data exist for approximately 145,000 deaths per year, or approximately 30% of all deaths certified by medical examiners and coroners annually and approximately 6% of all deaths per year in the United States. Although computerized offices vary substantially in size and in their choice of hardware and software, a typical computerized medical examiner office (a) is in a single county with 1,000-6,000 death reports per year, (b) keeps electronic records on all cases reported, (c) uses an IBM or compatible personal computer (PC) or PC network with off-the-shelf software, (d) stores data on cause of death, manner of death, how injuries occur, and toxicology results, and (e) is interested in sharing its data. Considerable electronic death investigation data exist that can provide timely and valuable information for mortality and public health studies.