Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations
The Examination Process > Triage and Intake > Immediate medical and mental health interventions
Immediate medical and mental health interventions
Assess patients' needs for immediate medical or mental health intervention prior to the medical forensic exam, following facility policy. Seek informed consent of patients before providing treatment. (For more information on this topic, see Informed Consent.) Also, inform them that they have a right to receive medical care regardless of whether the assault is reported to law enforcement, and if and how their reporting decision will affect payment for medical care and exam. (For more information on this topic, see Reporting to Law Enforcement.)- Goals of the Protocol
- Recommendations at a Glance
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Overarching Issues
- Coordinated Team Approach
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Victim-Centered Care
- Patient priorty as an emergency case
- Patient privacy
- Exam adapted to patients' needs and circumstances
- Issues commonly faced by patients from specific populations
- Importance of victim services within the exam process
- Importance of personal support persons in the exam room
- Requests for a responder of a specific gender
- Explanation of procedures during the exam process
- Integration of medical and forensic exam procedures
- Patient safety during the exam process
- Information patients can review at their conveniance
- Physical comfort needs of patients
- Informed Consent
- Confidentiality
- Reporting to Law Enforcement
- Payment for the Examination under VAWA
- Operational Issues
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The Examination Process
- Initial Contact
- Triage and Intake
- Documentation by Health Care Personnel
- The Medical Forensic History
- Photography
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Exam and Evidence Collection Procedures
- Forensic purpose of the exam
- Collecting as much evidence as possible
- Issues related to consent to sexual contact
- Testing of biological evidence
- Exposure to infectious materials and evidence contamination
- Importance of semen evidence
- Addressing patient needs' and concerns
- Explanation of exam and evidence collection procedures
- Conducting the exam and documenting findings
- Evidence to submit to the crime lab for analysis
- Other evidence
- Medical specimens separate from forensic specimins
- Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault
- STI Evaluation and Care
- Pregnancy Risk Evaluation and Care
- Discharge and Followup
- Examiner Court Appearances
- Appendix A. Developing Customized Protocols: Considerations for Jurisdictions
- Appendix B. Creation of Sexual Assault Response Teams
- Bibliography
- Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Technical Assistance Web Site
