In this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

Terms Used In Arizona Laws 11-591

  • Alternate medical examiner: means a physician who has training and competence in the principles of death investigation and who performs or directs the conduct of death investigations. See Arizona Laws 11-591
  • Death investigation: means the investigation directed by a county medical examiner or alternate medical examiner into the circumstances surrounding a death occurring as prescribed in section 11-593. See Arizona Laws 11-591
  • Forensic pathologist: means a physician who has successfully completed a pathology residency and a forensic fellowship or has extensive experience performing forensic autopsies in an official capacity. See Arizona Laws 11-591
  • Medical examiner: means a forensic pathologist who performs or directs the conduct of death investigations. See Arizona Laws 11-591
  • Pathologist assistant: means a person certified as a pathologist assistant who has graduated from a pathologist assistant training program approved by a national accrediting agency for clinical laboratory sciences. See Arizona Laws 11-591
  • Person: means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, public corporation, government or governmental subdivision, agency or instrumentality or any other legal or commercial entity. See Arizona Laws 11-487.01
  • Physician: means a person licensed pursuant to Title 32, Chapter 13 or 17. See Arizona Laws 11-591
  • State: means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. See Arizona Laws 11-487.01
  • United States: includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Arizona Laws 1-215

1. "Alternate medical examiner" means a physician who has training and competence in the principles of death investigation and who performs or directs the conduct of death investigations.

2. "Autopsy" means a surgical procedure in which internal organs are exposed, removed or examined for the identification of trauma or natural disease.

3. "Death investigation" means the investigation directed by a county medical examiner or alternate medical examiner into the circumstances surrounding a death occurring as prescribed in section 11-593.

4. "External examination" means an external inspection of a body.

5. "Forensic pathologist" means a physician who has successfully completed a pathology residency and a forensic fellowship or has extensive experience performing forensic autopsies in an official capacity.

6. "Investigative information" means information received by a medical examiner or alternate medical examiner from law enforcement, witnesses, family members, health care personnel or medical death investigators concerning cause and manner of death.

7. "Medical death investigator" means a person trained in the principles of death investigation.

8. "Medical examiner" means a forensic pathologist who performs or directs the conduct of death investigations.

9. "Nurse practitioner" means a person licensed and certified pursuant to Title 32, Chapter 15.

10. "Organ procurement organization" means an organization located within this state that meets the requirements of 42 United States Code § 273.

11. "Pathologist assistant" means a person certified as a pathologist assistant who has graduated from a pathologist assistant training program approved by a national accrediting agency for clinical laboratory sciences.

12. "Physician" means a person licensed pursuant to Title 32, Chapter 13 or 17.

13. "Tissue bank" means a person that is licensed or regulated under federal or state law or accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting organization to engage in the recovery, screening, testing, processing, storage or distribution of tissue.