Biomaterial Database

A computer-supported information system for forensic services. 1983

J P Petrila, and J L Hedlund

Recently many state departments of mental health have decentralized their forensic services programs. This trend has increased administrative needs for accurate, easily accessible information on the forensic services' caseload. The Missouri Department of Mental Health and the Missouri Institute of Psychiatry have developed and implemented a computer-supported system that provides data on the number of cases referred by criminal courts, the questions asked by the courts, the clinical answers to those questions, and demographic information about the evaluated population. The system is a part of the department's other computer systems so that forensic clients may be tracked through various mental health facilities. Mental health administrators may use the system to monitor department policies, ensure appropriate allocation of resources, and improve the quality of forensic reports.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007255	Information Services	Organized services to provide information on any questions an individual might have using databases and other sources. (From Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed)	Information Networks,Information Specialists,Services, Information,Information Network,Information Service,Information Specialist,Network, Information,Networks, Information,Service, Information,Specialist, Information,Specialists, Information
D008923	Missouri	State bounded on the east by Illinois and Kentucky, on the south by Arkansas, on the west by Kansas, and on the north by Iowa.
D011787	Quality of Health Care	The levels of excellence which characterize the health service or health care provided based on accepted standards of quality.	Pharmacy Audit,Quality of Care,Quality of Healthcare,Audit, Pharmacy,Care Quality,Health Care Quality,Healthcare Quality,Pharmacy Audits
D012017	Referral and Consultation	The practice of sending a patient to another program or practitioner for services or advice which the referring source is not prepared to provide.	Consultation,Gatekeepers, Health Service,Hospital Referral,Second Opinion,Consultation and Referral,Health Service Gatekeepers,Hospital Referrals,Referral,Referral, Hospital,Referrals, Hospital,Consultations,Gatekeeper, Health Service,Health Service Gatekeeper,Opinion, Second,Opinions, Second,Referrals,Second Opinions
D003201	Computers	Programmable electronic devices designed to accept data, perform prescribed mathematical and logical operations at high speed, and display the results of these operations.	Calculators, Programmable,Computer Hardware,Computers, Digital,Hardware, Computer,Calculator, Programmable,Computer,Computer, Digital,Digital Computer,Digital Computers,Programmable Calculator,Programmable Calculators
D005555	Forensic Psychiatry	Psychiatry in its legal aspects. This includes criminology, penology, commitment of mentally ill, the psychiatrist's role in compensation cases, the problems of releasing information to the court, and of expert testimony.	Jurisprudence, Psychiatric,Psychiatric Jurisprudence,Psychiatry, Forensic
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001523	Mental Disorders	Psychiatric illness or diseases manifested by breakdowns in the adaptational process expressed primarily as abnormalities of thought, feeling, and behavior producing either distress or impairment of function.	Mental Illness,Psychiatric Diseases,Psychiatric Disorders,Psychiatric Illness,Behavior Disorders,Diagnosis, Psychiatric,Mental Disorders, Severe,Psychiatric Diagnosis,Illness, Mental,Mental Disorder,Mental Disorder, Severe,Mental Illnesses,Psychiatric Disease,Psychiatric Disorder,Psychiatric Illnesses,Severe Mental Disorder,Severe Mental Disorders