Workgroup leaders: Dr. Zoltán Patonai, Dr. Gábor Simon
Contact: patonai.zoltan@pte.hu
Documentation is an essential part of healthcare activities. Current healthcare legislation requires all medical professionals to detail the processes of patient care. Proper documentation of injuries is particularly significant, as these records form the foundation for expert opinions in subsequent criminal or civil legal proceedings. The forensic examination and documentation of injuries is a time-consuming process that requires specialized training and expertise. In Western Europe, clinical forensic medicine services are often available, with the primary goal of documenting injuries for potential use in legal proceedings.
Since 2009, we have collaborated with Dr. Gábor Simon, assistant professor and forensic medical expert. Our shared areas of interest include the mechanisms of injury occurrence, injury documentation, and the expert evaluation of medical records prepared by practicing physicians. Over time, we have also focused on new challenges posed by dynamically changing regulations and increasing documentation requirements, which present difficulties not only for healthcare professionals but also for forensic experts reviewing medical records retrospectively. This has led us to explore the integration of forensic medicine into clinical settings, similar to the practice in Germany.
Since 2015, in collaboration with Dr. habil Katalin Fogarasi, associate professor, we have led research on the linguistic and medical analysis of injury reports with the Institute of Languages for Specific Purposes at Semmelweis University. The injury report, a uniquely Hungarian document, provides descriptions of injuries based on outpatient records and, when not limited in content, serves as evidence in court. The shortcomings identified during our investigations and the growing expectations regarding healthcare documentation have further reinforced the idea of integrating forensic medicine into clinical practice.
In 2019, we began planning and seeking practical applications for a forensic medicine service, but this was delayed by the global pandemic. In 2024, we officially established our working group with Dr. Gábor Simon. Our goals include strengthening the clinical role of forensic medicine, supporting practicing physicians, and organizing ongoing training for healthcare professionals and forensic experts to improve the quality of documentation, thereby facilitating collaboration and enhancing outcomes