CAP TODAY Pathology/Laboratory Medicine/Laboratory Management
January 2022—Death investigators are tasked with the responsibility of providing irrefutable and accurate determinations in the cause and manner of death in a timely fashion for ongoing investigations. Outcomes of any death may be revealed by the specimens submitted for toxicology analysis. The conundrum of ample opinions is that there is no “one size fits all” when selecting appropriate specimens. Human nature tends to rely on traditional approaches for the collection, processing, and reporting of results because it’s easier to stay status quo. However, with drug overdose deaths increasing, reports are further delayed, causing an influx of backlogged cases. To assist with these issues, our laboratory developed an economical, time-efficient, safe, and less-invasive collection method that delivers real-time results within 24 to 48 hours, accelerating the autopsy process and the ability to close cases expeditiously.
Read More »