Medical Examiners and Coroners: The Impact of Organ Donation on Death Investigation

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Medical Examiners and Coroners The Impact of
Organ Donation on Death Investigation

• Guest Panelists
• Al Klimek, Chief Medical Examiner, Brown, Door,
  Oconto County President WCMEA
• Angela Hinze, Chief Medical Examiner, Columbia,
  Adams County 1st Vice President WCMEA

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What is the difference between Coroners and
Medical Examiners?

• Coroner

• Medical Examiner

• Elected (4 year terms)
• 18 years of age
• Valid DL
• HS Diploma or equivalent
• Resident in good standing
• Limited to number of Deputy Coroners

• Appointed
• 18 years of age
• Expectation of education and experience in
  Medico-legal Death Investigation
• Does not have to be a Physician
• May not be a resident
• Establishes staffing requirements

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What criteria makes a case a reportable case?

• State Statute 979.01
• Each County required to establish written
  guidelines for reportable criteria Local
  Rule
• Coroners or Medical Examiners has sole
  authority over establishing or declining
  jurisdiction.
• DAs often influence

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What can hospital staff do to help case?

• Prompt reporting (usually OPO contacts us)
• Designate a local contact person
• Facilitate access to Medical Records
• Encourage contact between family and C/ME if
  appropriate
• Dont make promises that you cannot keep

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What can hospital staff do to hurt a case

• Failure to or delay in reporting potential donor
• Assuming anything (verify assumptions)
• Dont pick sides (explain team approach)
• Dont offer a Cause/Manner of Death opinion to
  the family

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How do ME/Coroners work with the OPO?

• Donation can happen with an investigation/autopsy
• It is the position of the National Association
  of Medical Examiners (NAME) that the procurement
  of organs and/or tissues for transplantation can
  be accomplished in virtually all cases without
  detriment to evidence collection, postmortem
  examination, determination of cause and manner of
  death, or the conducting of criminal or civil
  legal proceedings.

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We are Partners

• We should have the same goal in minddonation!
• Communication is key
• Understand that not all C/MEs are created
  equally.

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Questions ??