What is the meaning of “temporary” forensic reports for Emergency physicians? Self protection? Bias? Habit?...
Serkan Emre Eroğlu1, Sıddıka Nihal Toprak2, Aydın Deniz Karataş3, Özge Onur1, Çiğdem Özpolat1, Emre Salçın1, Arzu Denizbaşı1
1Department Of Emergency Medicine, Marmara University Pendik Research And Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
2Department Of Emergency Medicine, Toros State Hospital, Mersin, Turkey
3Department Of Emergency Medicine, İskenderun State Hospital, Hatay, Turkey
Keywords: Temporary Forensic report, Legal cases, Emergency service
Abstract
Objective: Doctor reports to forensic cases are prepared in hospitals and are used by legal offices. In this research, we investigated the reasons of writing forensic reports terminated with "temporary report".
Materials and Methods: This study was done prospectively in two different state hospitals. Data were analysed on SPSSv16.0. Data were collected during four weeks and then analyzed by using frequencies, Kolmogorov-smirnov (K-S) and Chi-square tests.
Results: In our study, total 610 forensic cases (Mersin Toros State Hospital (MTSH), n=171; Iskenderun State Hospital (ISH), n=439) were determined. There were 100 (58,5%) temporary forensic reports in MTSH, and 433 (99,6%) definitive forensic reports in ISH. When the legal reports of hospitalized/referred patients were analyzed, it was seen that all of them (14 patient) were terminated as ‘temporary’ in MTSH. According to study, the result of forensic reports affected directly when geriatric/pediatric patients, patients with head trauma/penetran trauma applied to the Emergency room. 7 of the total 11 physician said that the reason of setting temporary reports was self protection. There were 32 (%18,7) consultation request. The difference between the consultation request and the type of the termination of the forensic reports were statistically significant (p= 0,009).
Conclusion: The results of two hospitals with steady approaches in their own, but reverse results between each other may show that there is no standard approach for legal cases in our country. In addition to this, Temporary forensic reports are usually written for the reasons of self protection, prejudice or individual rules. Because of these two results, forensic medicine education was given to Emergency physicians more than needed.