Date: November 14, 2014
To: AHS Practitioners
From: Dr. Verna Yiu, Vice President Quality & Chief Medical Officer
Re: Copies of Medical Examiners Autopsy and/or Examination Reports
In Oct 2012 an inquiry was completed by Justice McLeod with a recommendation as follows:
That AHS and physicians arrange for the receipt of the Certificates of Medical Examiners (and any other relevant documentation) as soon as available in cases of emergency department deaths and, where the cause of death is drug toxicity (or such other broader kinds of causes AHS and physicians deem appropriate), make those results available to the nurses and physicians who were directly involved in that patient’s care.
As a result of Justice McLeod’s recommendation and in conjunction with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME), a form letter has been developed to aid and streamline the process of requesting copies of an OCME Autopsy Report/Examination Report. Attached is a copy of the form letter that is recommended for use by any physician in Alberta Health Services who wishes to receive a copy of the ME’s report where they are the attending physician
This request is supported by the following legislative authority.
The Fatality Inquiries Regulation, section 12 (3) (b) states:
The Chief Medical Examiner must provide a true copy of the complete autopsy report or a true copy of the examination form, whichever is available, to any of the following persons who request a copy:
a) the administrator of the hospital in which the deceased died;
b) the attending physician;
c) any department or agency of the Government of Canada or of a province if the Chief Medical Examiner considers the department or agency to be an interested party.
To request a report from the OCME, complete the attached form and fax to the corresponding OCME:
Office of the Chief Medical Examiner 4070 Bowness Road NW
Calgary, Alberta T3B 3R7
Canada
Telephone: 403-297-8123
Fax: 403-297-3429
Office of the Chief Medical Examiner 7007 - 116th Street
Edmonton, Alberta T6H 5R8
Canada
Telephone: 780-427-4987
Fax: 780-422-4063
Please note: the OCME is not able to disclose reports by fax, ensure your return address is included on the faxed request.
Date: (yy/mm/dd)
To: Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
Fax: Calgary (403) 297-3429, Edmonton (780) 422-4063
From: Physician Name / Department:________________________ Return Address
RE: Copies of OCME Autopsy Report/Examination Report:
Patient Name:
Date of Birth:
Date of Death:
Last Visit Date by Health Care Provider:
Dr. _________________from __________________ is requesting that (print) (Department/AHS Site) the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner provide copies of the examination report, including Toxicology if completed.
This report is required so the treating physician has received all relevant documentation to help ensure the Cause of Death is known with certainty.
This request is supported by the following legislative authority.
The Fatality Inquiries Regulation, section 12 (3) (b) states:
The Chief Medical Examiner must provide a true copy of the complete autopsy report or a true copy of the examination form, whichever is available, to any of the following persons who request a copy:
(b) the attending physician;
If you have any questions, please contact me at ( ) (Physician phone number)
Sincerely,
Dr. ______ (Signature)Notice: Only the physician who attended the decedent may sign
Reports from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) are confidential and should not be reproduced or shared without permission from the OCME. Under the Health Information Act (HIA), the custodian of the report is Alberta Health Services. Subsequent use or disclosure of the report is governed by the HIA.