Document Detail


The value of the medical examiner as a member of the multidisciplinary trauma morbidity-mortality committee.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  7500392     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The multidisciplinary trauma peer review process collects, reviews, discusses, and collates all morbidities and mortalities of injured patients to institute corrective action in a timely manner. The resultant remedial activity may include professional education, physician counseling, restriction of privileges, or changes in the trauma care system. Effective corrective action necessitates timely data input from the postmortem examination. Faced with an inordinate delay, skimpy reports, and expense in obtaining such reports from the medical examiner's office, the chief medical examiner was invited to become a member of the peer review committee. During a 12-month interval as a full-fledged member of the peer review process, the medical examiner was able to provide complete verbal reports on all deaths resulting in a synergistic benefit to the peer review process and to the medical examiner office. Two of 53 nonpreventable deaths were reclassified as possibly preventable in one and preventable in the other. Four of 15 possibly preventable deaths were reclassified based on the medical examiner report. In turn, the physician members of the team were able to augment the medical examiner's knowledge in certain areas that were critical for his analysis of accidents or homicide. Based on these findings, the medical examiner is recommended as a participating member of the trauma peer review committee.
Authors:
Y M Lozen; B J Cassin; A M Ledgerwood; C E Lucas
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Journal of trauma     Volume:  39     ISSN:  0022-5282     ISO Abbreviation:  J Trauma     Publication Date:  1995 Dec 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1996-01-18     Completed Date:  1996-01-18     Revised Date:  2006-11-15    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0376373     Medline TA:  J Trauma     Country:  UNITED STATES    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1054-7     Citation Subset:  AIM; IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Surgery, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Autopsy
Cause of Death
Coroners and Medical Examiners*
Hospital Mortality
Humans
Peer Review, Health Care*
Professional Staff Committees*
Quality Assurance, Health Care
Wounds and Injuries / mortality*

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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