title: Features of commercial computer software systems for medical examiners and coroners.
abstract: There are many ways of automating medical examiner and coroner offices, one of which is to purchase commercial software products specifically designed for death investigation. We surveyed four companies that offer such products and requested information regarding each company and its hardware, software, operating systems, peripheral devices, applications, networking options, programming language, querying capability, coding systems, prices, customer support, and number and size of offices using the product. Although the four products (CME2, ForenCIS, InQuest, and Medical Examiner's Software System) are similar in many respects and each can be installed on personal computers, there are differences among the products with regard to cost, applications, and the other features. Death investigators interested in office automation should explore these products to determine the usefulness of each in comparison with the others and in comparison with general-purpose, off-the-shelf databases and software adaptable to death investigation needs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Hanzlick
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Parrish
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ing
mesh_terms: D003201:Computers; D003334:Coroners and Medical Examiners; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D009816:Office Automation; D012984:Software