Office of the State Chief Medical Examiner
Mission Statement:
The mission of the Tennessee Office of the State Chief Medical Examiner (OSCME), operating under the Department of Health, is to create statewide consistency of high quality medicolegal death investigation and forensic autopsy services. The purpose of the office is to serve its fellow citizens by protecting the public’s health and safety, participating in the criminal justice system and providing data for vital statistics.
The Office of the State Chief Medical Examiner (OSCME) is responsible for the education and training of county medical examiners, the keeping of records of deaths investigated by county medical examiners, and assuming investigative authority in cases of interest to the state, including mass fatalities and threats to public health. The central office located within the Tennessee Department of Health in Nashville is staffed by two full-time forensic pathologists and two death investigators who are available for consultation to the public, law enforcement, clinicians, and friends and family of the deceased. A satellite office located in Johnson City is staffed with one administrator and houses medical examiner records.
Services Provided:
- Educating and training County Medical Examiners and County Medical Examiner Investigators.
- Keeping of records of deaths investigated by County Medical Examiners.
- Assuming investigative authority in cases of interest to the state, including mass fatalities and threats to public health.
- Supplying copies of autopsy reports and/or reports of investigation by county medical examiners to the public.
- Death certificates are issued by the Tennessee Office of Vital Records. Information for this office can be found at: https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/vital-records.html.
The Tennessee Violent Death Reporting System (TNVDRS) is a state-based surveillance reporting system that links information about the “who, when, where, and how” from data and provides insights about “why” the deaths occurred. Since 2020, we have collected facts on violent deaths in Tennessee from death certificates, medical examiner reports, and law enforcement reports into one anonymous database. Users can access reports, fact sheets, and submit data requests at https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/oscme/tnvdrs.html
Death Certification Training:
This training will help you better understand best practices in death certification. We will share why it is important to accurately document the cause of death on the death certificate and how to use your best medical judgment to determine accurate information. It includes two videos featuring State Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Adele Lewis and Deputy State Medical Examiner Dr. Amy Hawes.
The training is divided into two parts:
• Part 1: Medical Examiner Jurisdiction, Cause and Manner of Death, and Death Certification
• Part 2: Guidance for Certification of Disaster-Related Death
Free CME/CE is provided for course participants. Links to the videos, slide deck, and continuing medical education worksheet are here: https://www.tnmed.org/improving-medical-death-certification-cme/.
TN Violent Death Reporting System:
The Tennessee Violent Death Reporting System (TNVDRS) is a state-based surveillance reporting system that links information about the who, when, where, and how from data, and provides insights about why the deaths occurred.
Since 2020, we have collected facts on violent deaths in Tennessee, from death certificates, medical examiner reports, and law enforcement reports. TNVDRS houses this information in one anonymous database where users can access reports and fact sheets. and submit their own data requests.
Contact:
Adele Lewis, MD
State Chief Medical Examiner
Amy Hawes, MD
Deputy State Chief Medical Examiner
Margaret Hyder, MA
Deputy Director
Fran Wheatley, BS, MA, ABMDI - F
Medicolegal Death Investigator
Lindsey Crim, BS, MCJ, ABMDI - F
Medicolegal Death Investigator
Kristen Osgood, BA, ABMDI-D
Medicolegal Death Investigator
Molly Golladay, BS, M.Ed, MAT
Epidemiologist
Erica Martin, RN/BSN
Abstractor
Leah Vanderbush, BS
Abstractor
Bailey Floyd, BS
Administrative Services Assistant
Mary Beth Blair, RN, BSN
COVID-19 Fatality Coordinator
Main Office – Nashville
Office of the State Chief Medical Examiner
Andrew Johnson Tower – 7th Floor
710 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243
Telephone: 844-860-4511
Fax: 615-401-2532
Satellite Office – Johnson City
Office of the State Chief Medical Examiner
William L. Jenkins Forensic Center
Box 70431
Johnson City, TN 37614
Telephone: 423-439-8403
Fax: 423-439-8810