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Medical examiner reports pending identifications and longstanding documentation challenges
Summary
John Haslett presented the Mohave County Medical Examiner annual report, highlighting pending and previously uncounted cases, identification of two traffic fatalities, and longstanding issues with physicians refusing to sign death certificates that contribute to case referrals and delays.
John Haslett, executive director of contracted services for the Mohave County Medical Examiner's office, presented the office's annual report and walked the board through pending cases and year'over'year comparisons.
Haslett said the office had eight pending 2025 cases on the provided pending list; one case that appeared on an earlier slide was later identified as a death that occurred in Coconino County and was released to that jurisdiction. He reported two additional traffic fatalities had been identified since the report was posted and were released to the Mexican consulate for repatriation. Altogether, he said his office has taken 17 cases into care since inception of the contract.
Board members raised concern about a large number of cases logged as "doctor refused to sign" (listed as 490 on the slide). A board member said the number was "quite large" and suggested staff work offline with hospital clinical staff to reduce delays. Haslett and the board discussed causes, with Haslett explaining that transient or traveling physicians and medical-record workflow issues often cause referrals: "That is an item that has occurred from physicians for years and years," he said, adding that liability concerns and doctors' comfort signing cases without full history contribute to the count.
Haslett described how his office conducts medical reviews when a physician refuses to sign: the office requests records and conducts full reviews so the county medical director or contract pathologist can sign where appropriate. The board requested a breakdown of refusal cases and a year'over'year comparison to track whether process changes reduce delays.
No formal action was taken. Haslett offered to provide additional year'over'year breakdowns and follow up offline on procedural fixes to reduce family burdens and shorten timelines for case closure.
