The Challenge
uilding systems to support records management for Medical Examiner (ME) and Coroner’s Offices. These offices have small budgets and need simple and easy to use systems. Public health researchers who study injury prevention are also very interested in this data.
The Solution
A.J. Boggs helped the Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI) redesign a web-based system to collect and report case information for MEs and Coroners. We rewrote the web-based system for MPHI’s Center for Collaborative Research in Health Outcomes and Policy (CRHOP) using a Microsoft .NET architecture. We also hosted the service and helped to promote it to regional and national agencies, including NIH and the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME).
The Results
The Alcestis system provides a data collection tool for medical examiners and coroners which improves case management. In turn, it generates a repository of medical examiner and coroner data that can be used for research and surveillance purposes. Medical examiner/coroner offices benefit from gains in efficiency, and the public health sector benefits in prevention efforts from the ability to identify prominent causes of death in communities. In addition to the Alcestis system, A.J. Boggs also helped MPHI to redesign a Michigan Department of Community Health eMichigan website, provided maintenance for a case management system, and completed a project to write 32 reports for the Child Death Review (CDR) program, using a .NET architecture with SQL Server and Crystal Reports.