Sacramento County Coroners Office

1
Sacramento County Coroners Office

• Coroners Role in Organ Tissue Donation
• Ed Smith
• Assistant Coroner

2
Legal Mandate
Determine the medical reason for death and
classify the manner of death as appropriate
(Homicide, Suicide, Accident, Natural,
Undetermined)

• Coroners Authority to Investigate
• California Government Code Section 27491
• It shall be the duty of the coroner to inquire
  into and determine the circumstances, manner and
  cause of all violent, sudden, or unusual deaths
• wherein the deceased has not been attended by a
  physician in the 20 days preceding the death.

3
ORGAN and TISSUE DONATION

• The Sacramento County Coroners Office supports
  the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act through a
  partnership with
• The Sacramento County Coroners office has
  released all cases for organ donation for the
  past 2 years!
• Working hard to release more cases for tissue
  donation, including SIDS deaths

4
Communication with the Coroners Office

• Organ Donation Cases -
• GSDS will make sure Legal time of Death is
  documented
• GSDS obtains consent from Legal Next of Kin
• GSDS calls the Coroner's Office for Release
• Tissue Donation Cases-
• Hospital calls death to Hotline within 1 hour of
  Cardiac Death
• SETDS screens the patient for medical suitability
• SETDS obtains Consent from Legal Next of Kin
• SETDS calls the Coroners Office for Release

5
Coroner Release Process

• Deputy Coroner Reviews Case
• If Deputy Coroner declines case, the Assistant
  Coroner is notified
• The Assistant Coroner reviews case and discusses
  with GSDS Administrator on Call and/or the
  Executive Director
• Discussion includes Case, Organs to Recover and
  Transplant, Family Dynamics
• If Assistant Coroner makes final decision not to
  release for donation, GSDS may evoke Health and
  Safety Code 7155.7
• Requires ME to accompany GSDS to Operating Room

6
Ongoing Improvement Efforts

• Continue to Strengthen the Relationships
• Attend National Meetings on Organ and Tissue
  Donation
• Participate in Annual Coroner Convention
• Biannual Case Reviews
• Share outcome of Donation with Coroners and MEs
• Share outcome of Investigations with GSDS and
  SETDS
• Participate in conference calls with Coroners
  from around the State
• Coroner appointment on the Advisory Board of GSDS
• Media Partnership