Effectiveness of Mortuaries in Turkey: A Questionnaire Study.

The autopsy is an important step in solutions of forensic cases. The design and effectiveness of mortuaries are of great importance in terms of proper conduction of death examinations and autopsies. In addition, the safety of evidence, protection of public and staff health, and the quality of service offered to relatives of dead people are closely related to the effectiveness of mortuaries. The aim of this study was to determine whether mortuaries in Turkey meet international criteria.Nineteen mortuaries were included in the study. The forensic medicine experts working in these mortuaries were given a questionnaire composed of questions about standards developed by the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) through the website my.questbase.com.Most of the mortuaries outside big cities (80%) did not have their own facilities. All of them could not control the chain of evidence and did not have a separate well-ventilated autopsy room where they could keep putrefied corpses.Most of the mortuaries did not meet most of the NAME criteria. The mortuaries, especially those in places other than big cities, had some deficiencies and mishandlings. Autopsy facilities and accessory laboratories should be enabled to meet NAME accreditation standards.