Forensic Medicine Expert in Department of Emergency Medicine : The Need of Hour

Abstract

Emergency medicine is a new branch introduced by NMC in the gazette notification dated 14th February 2022. In India, since we lack  specialized postgraduates in emergency medicine, postgraduates in General Medicine, Anaesthesia, Respiratory Medicine, General  Surgery and Orthopedics are made eligible to work as faculty in this department. This is a welcome step as the casualties coming to the  hospital with natural pathologies will be dealt by specialized docors after introduction of this department in a tertiary care centre. However,  the medicolegal cases reaching to the hospital in the form of casualties or otherwise still have to be dealt with less professional and  unspecialized hands. Incorrect, incomplete, or inappropriately followed protocols in handling and reporting a Medico-legal case often  delay legal proceedings and thus deprive a patient of his rights. The significance of critical cases in emergency medical services cannot be  undermined especially in a densely populated country like India, where everyone is living with stress and competing to strive for the basic  needs of life. Doctors in the Emergency department have to diagnose and treat a high volume of patients and are also responsible for  preparing reports for unnatural cases like accidents, attempted suicides and homicides. Thus, any act of omission or commission in patient  care as well as in preparing proper medicolegal reports and documentation by a doctor advances negligence and health risks of critically ill  patients which is against the criminal justice system and hence liable for the breach of duty. This warrants the inclusion of Forensic  Medicine experts in the Emergency Medicine department.