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The Tennessean Connect med examiners The other 94 counties in Tennessee can take it from Metro. The medical
examiner's office is extremely important. Nashville endured complete disarray
in its office for many months before it finally contracted out the service
last year and named Dr. Bruce Levy as the county's medical examiner. The same sort of organization and stability is needed at the state level. Tennessee has been operating without a state medical examiner since 1995, and it's past time for an update. Levy has taken on the dual role of serving in the Metro post and the state position. That set-up is not unprecedented. Former Metro medical examiner Charles Harlan once handled both roles. But rather than it being a conflict, the dual capacity can actually work in combination. Levy has set several goals for the state job, not the least of which is updating specific guidelines. Since current standards were written more than 20 years ago an update is in order. Levy has some guidelines in mind. Those standards address areas from the requirement to perform autopsies for potential Sudden Infant Death syndrome cases to proper procedures for scene investigations. Furthermore, Levy hopes to establish a system where information from across the state can be tracked and studied for patterns in deaths. Nashvillians found out the hard way how disconcerting an inefficient medical examiner's office can be. It can cause delays in funerals and impede on the abilities of prosecutors to handle cases. Metro, which had operated on an expensive makeshift basis, was a perfect example of how not to run an office. Levy has the ambitious goal of talking with officials at all 95 counties
in the state. He should do as much listening as talking as he assesses
the state's needs in new guidelines. Nashville finally got its house in
order last year. The state can benefit from the concerted efforts headed
by Levy now. |
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