Some folks are demanding change in Nebraska’s coroner system. Reading
this article it is apparent that such change is needed.
Nebraska's county-coroner system tacks on death investigation as a footnote to other jobs…
The Douglas County morgue, where half of Nebraska's autopsies are done, predates "Quincy M.E.," the 1970s TV show about a medical examiner. (Cool, I’d still recognize it, I went to med school and residency in Omaha in the late 70s and early 80s)
A fly strip dangles over the single autopsy table, and paint peels off the concrete-block walls in the 18-by-20-foot autopsy room in the Douglas County Health Center basement.
As the article points out we in Illinois are more professional about the coroner’s business.
In some states, such as Colorado and Illinois, elected coroners have created their own organizations to provide training, guidance and support.
Certainly backward, archaic systems still in existence in parts of this country give the coroner business a bad name. In my office we push professionalism, participation in training, leadership in medicolegal death investigation, and continuous improvement in office techniques (improving current practices and embracing new practices and equipment, as appropriate).
I hope Nebraska shapes up their “act”, I have family there.
As the article points out we in Illinois are more professional about the coroner’s business.
Certainly backward, archaic systems still in existence in parts of this country give the coroner business a bad name. In my office we push professionalism, participation in training, leadership in medicolegal death investigation, and continuous improvement in office techniques (improving current practices and embracing new practices and equipment, as appropriate).
I hope Nebraska shapes up their “act”, I have family there.