Donation and Death Investigation Webinars

DONATION AND DEATH INVESTIGATION WEBINAR SERIES

This free interdisciplinary webinar series has been developed through collaboration with stakeholders representing the fields of donation and death investigation. This program intends to provide information surrounding these overlapping fields and to identify challenges and solutions on shared cases.

The 2023 Donation & Death Investigation Webinar Series includes seven webinar presentations to promote collaboration and explore improvement opportunities.

PRESENTATIONS

Presentation 1: Supporting our Shared Mission: Guide to Medical Examiner & Coroner Cases
Date: June 1, 2023, at 2:00 PM ET

Summary: This session will review collaborative initiatives between organizations representing the fields of donation and death investigation. The American Association of Tissue Banks, the Eye Bank Association of America, the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations, and the International Association of Coroners & Medical Examiners joined forces to deliver guidance and education to support the needs of the medicolegal community and ensure donation and death investigations can move forward cohesively on shared cases.

Through this presentation, we will review the jointly published Guide to Medical Examiner & Coroner Cases and how collaboration can improve the outcome of shared cases. 

Confirmed Speaker(s):
Jon Boyd, Director of Education, American Association of Tissue Banks
Kristen McCoy, Vice President of Client Relations, Miracles In Sight
Brian Bricker, Director of Clinical Operations, Center for Organ Recovery and Education
Kelly Keys, Research Forensic Scientist, RTI International in the Center for Forensic Science Advancement and Application

Link:https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8165875378149089119

Presentation 2: Common Challenges Working with Donation Organizations
Date: July 28, 2023, at 2:00 PM ET

Summary: This presentation will review common challenges medicolegal professionals encounter when working with donation organizations. We will discuss how these issues may impact the ability to permit donation, provide examples of complicated or challenging cases, and evaluate potential solutions. 

Confirmed Speaker(s):
Mark Giffen, DO, Forensic Pathologist
Dotti Owens, Coroner

Link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7095616257027871323

Presentation 3: Homicides and Release: Organ vs. Tissue, and Transplant vs. Research
Date: August 18, 2023, at 2:00 PM ET

Summary: During this presentation, we will review how the decision to release or restrict donation may be influenced by the cause, manner, and circumstances surrounding death. The session will evaluate how considerations for release may be influenced by the intended use of donated organs and tissues and the impact of factors such as donation of cardiac death (DCD) or an investigator observing recovery may have on the final decision.

Confirmed Speaker(s):  
Jennifer Hammers, MD, Forensic Pathologist
Tim Carson, West Moreland County Coroner
Brian Bricker, Director of Clinical Operations at CORE

Link:https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1451593274012517213

Presentation 4: Jurisdiction and Custody. Who makes the decision?
Date: September 29, 2023, at 2:00 PM ET

Summary: During this presentation, we will discuss various circumstances of death in different death investigation systems/jurisdictions. We will review deaths in police custody, prison/detention facility deaths, and officer-involved deaths. We will discuss custody and jurisdiction of the body when a death investigator, law enforcement, and district attorneys are involved.

Confirmed Speaker(s):
Karl Williams, MD, Forensic Pathologist

Link:https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4151482558925778005

Presentation 5: Diagnosing Cardiac Disease and Abnormality Post-Valvectomy 
Date: October 6, 2023, at 2:00 PM ET

Summary: This presentation will review practices, challenges, and case studies surrounding post-valve donation pathological examination. 
Learning Objectives:

  • Know about the destination of heart remnants
  • Understand the importance of pathologic examination of heart tissue
  • Recognize the limitations created by donation
  • Recognize the connection between procurement, patient history, and pathologic diagnoses on heart remnants
  • Review interesting diagnoses found in post-valve recovery donor hearts

Confirmed Speaker(s):
Emily Duncanson, MD, Forensic Cardiac Pathologist

Link:https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2243418667293721439

Presentation 6: Clots, DVTs, PEs: How They Impact Donation
Date: November 10, 2023, at 2:00 PM ET

Summary During this presentation, we will review cases in which clots, DVTs, and PEs, were a concern, discovered during recovery, why they are important, and what can be done on shared donation and death investigation cases.

Speaker: Pending

Link:https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/9003537212347967318

Presentation 7: Pediatric Death: SUIDS, Trauma, and Accidents
Date: December 2, 2023, at 2:00 PM ET

Summary: Pediatric and sudden unexpected infant deaths (SUIDS) are exceptionally challenging cases for medicolegal death investigators. As a result, unique considerations are granted when these cases are suitable for organ and tissue donation. During this presentation, we will review the unique challenges surrounding the release for donation on pediatric cases under the jurisdiction of a death investigator, situations that may limit the ability to permit donation, and how these issues may be addressed.

Confirmed Speaker(s):
Anna McDonald, MD, Forensic Pathologist 

Link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7355923436080183893