Medical Examiner Program Spotlights
ACOME FAMILY ASSISTANCE IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVE
Working with the Department of Information Technology, the Medical Examiner’s Office began a project in 2021 to enhance its website resources available for families of the decedents in Allegheny County (https://www. alleghenycounty.us/medical-examiner/next-of-kin-resources.aspx). The goal of this effort was to provide resources and information to the families as readily as possible. The new website additions launched in 2022 and included features, such as: • detailed information on the types of testing conducted; • what families can expect from the process moving forward, protocols and directions for next of kin responsibilities; • directions and mobile form submission options to request information and provide authorizations; • the ability for families to track the status of test results for their loved one’s examinations; and • an updated survivors’ guide, providing resources for a variety of post- mortem care and guidance agencies. Additionally, it provides public access to an unclaimed and or unidentified decedent database which allows individuals to search for and provide information which could aid in identifying those decedents. With the launch in early 2022, the ACOME team is able to direct families to the website for information, mobile forms and explanations of how to access their loved one’s information when they want to access it for a status update. This process has now also created brainstorming sessions to use this same format for additional types of information requests that come into the Medical Examiner’s office to continue to create open and effective communication while maintaining and respecting the privacy of the family and the decedent.
AWARDS AND ACCREDITATIONS
The Medical Examiner’s Office demonstrated its commitment to quality by undergoing a full onsite reassessment for continued accreditation under ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO/IEC 17020 as well as adding new areas to its scope of services. The ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. Of more than three hundred standards to which Laboratory Operations and Morgue Operations were assessed, ACOME had only six items for corrections. Several of the ACOME team members prepared for recertification in their field through national certification organizations such as the International Association of Identification and the American Board of Criminalistics.
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