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What is the functional significance?
MEs vs. coroners
- Thread starter deschutes
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I can't really figure it out. Someone told me once, but basically it is different in all US states. Some states have a coroner system, others do not. Our state doesn't have one as far as I know.
In states with coroners, the coroner is responsible for determining cause of death, whether an autopsy is needed, and contacting a pathologist to perform such a task. A coroner is not necessarily a pathologist (or even a doctor). It is often an ELECTED position requiring nothing more than a high school education and the ability to convince people to vote for you. Thus, these people are often former cops, judges, probably some doctors, but they could be a gas station attendant who talks a good game. They are responsible for documenting cause of death, etc, trends in the county they work in. Possibly more of a legal thing than a medical thing. But clearly some knowledge of medicine would help.
From what I can gather, there are some turf wars, because coroners don't have to listen much to the pathologist doing the autopsy. Many coroners, who have been at the job for many years, are obviously experienced and know what they are doing. But many probably have not as much of a clue.
Perhaps someone who has worked within a coroner system can help.
In states without coroners, medical examiners do everything, and are not elected.
In states with coroners, the coroner is responsible for determining cause of death, whether an autopsy is needed, and contacting a pathologist to perform such a task. A coroner is not necessarily a pathologist (or even a doctor). It is often an ELECTED position requiring nothing more than a high school education and the ability to convince people to vote for you. Thus, these people are often former cops, judges, probably some doctors, but they could be a gas station attendant who talks a good game. They are responsible for documenting cause of death, etc, trends in the county they work in. Possibly more of a legal thing than a medical thing. But clearly some knowledge of medicine would help.
From what I can gather, there are some turf wars, because coroners don't have to listen much to the pathologist doing the autopsy. Many coroners, who have been at the job for many years, are obviously experienced and know what they are doing. But many probably have not as much of a clue.
Perhaps someone who has worked within a coroner system can help.
In states without coroners, medical examiners do everything, and are not elected.
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I'm not sure about functional differences, but in here in GA we have both coroners and ME's. Coroners are elected and receive 6 weeks of training. Scary, huh? It also depends somewhat on the district in which the coroner functions. There was an articel about some goofballs running for coroner. [shudders]
Coroners can pronounce people dead and give them a cause of death; it's pretty obvious sometimes.
They can also order autopsies (to be done by the ME's office).
Basically coroners are away for a locality to avoid the ME's office and the accompanying delays and hassles. It''s not like CSI. ME's and forensics labs are waaay too swamped and backlogged to go out in the field unless it is absolutely necessary.
Just my incomplete information on the matter.
-X
Coroners can pronounce people dead and give them a cause of death; it's pretty obvious sometimes.
They can also order autopsies (to be done by the ME's office).
Basically coroners are away for a locality to avoid the ME's office and the accompanying delays and hassles. It''s not like CSI. ME's and forensics labs are waaay too swamped and backlogged to go out in the field unless it is absolutely necessary.
Just my incomplete information on the matter.
-X
deschutes said:
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xanthines said:
Yup, like determining the exact cause of death! I too heard from an ME who had worked in states with coroners that there is a huge range of experience and expertise out there. One of them apparently running was a 19 year old high school graduate who was otherwise unemployed.
Here is a JAMA abstract that is informative:Vol. 276 No. 21, December 4, 1996
OBJECTIVE: To define geographically and numerically the need for coroner training programs. DESIGN: Survey and literature review. SETTING: States in the United States that have coroners. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Which states have coroners; which states require coroners to be physicians or have mandated training requirements; and the number of coroners potentially requiring training on an annual basis. RESULTS: Twenty-nine states have coroners in some or all counties with coroner states being located throughout most of the United States except for New England and the Mid-Atlantic states. Four states (Louisiana, Kansas, North Dakota, and Ohio) require coroners to be physicians. Seven states (Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming) have mandated training requirements. At any given time, there are approximately 2759 individuals serving as coroners. Nationwide, the annual number of newly elected or appointed coroners ranges from 159 to 1546. CONCLUSIONS: It is feasible to provide training to all newly elected or appointed coroners annually. The use of existing training programs, development of state-specific training programs, and the development of a standard national training curriculum may be useful strategies. Funding sources for coroner training need to be explored.
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ME's are physicians by definition. Coroners can be non-physicians or physicians. More extensive definitions can be found on the NAME's website here:
http://www.thename.org/medical_detective.htm#what is a coroner
http://www.thename.org/medical_detective.htm#what is a coroner
