Galician forensic experts will be able to participate in trials by videoconference

The Institute of Legal Medicine of Galicia (Imelga) has implemented a new computer system that will unify management in all its Galician centers, will homogenize the medical records model, will facilitate appointments through messages and will allow forensic experts to attend oral trials from the office, connected by a video conferencing system.

The Xunta de Galicia has invested 190.000 euros to provide the Institute of Legal Medicine of Galicia (Imelga) of a computer system, videoconferencing and a briefcase for on-call services. The new endowment was presented at the Imelga headquarters, in the Palace of Justice of Santiago de Compostela. The Minister of the Presidency participated in the event, Alfonso Rueda; the general secretary of Modernization and Technological Innovation, Mar Pereira; and the general director of Xustiza, Juan José Martín.

The computer system, called Simelga, will offer benefits to 109 Imelga professionals, as insisted. In a global computing system’ the medical records will be (future and old), so there will be access to them “more optimized”, apart from becoming a database “essential” for an investigation. The implementation of Simelga will facilitate, also, the homogenization of the information collection criteria in all areas. Specifically, It is an evolution of Asklepius, of the Ministry, but adapted to the specific needs of these experts. It will be managed entirely by the Xunta.

In December its implementation will be completed, at the main headquarters and in the six territorial subdirectorates. This will be when it provides the generation of reports associated with procedures and assessments.; recording documents, or even put together images linked to the estimates that the forensics may have made. There will be a comprehensive training plan that will detail its use and from which the groups involved will benefit.. This insertion will be complemented with a new model for sending forensic appointment reminders via mobile messaging. This measure will result in a streamlining of the communication mechanism with the citizen, apart from the fact that the current cost of the notice will be reduced, and the cancellation of appointments will be reduced —there is 15.000 annual—by “no presentation”.

Within the update plan it is contemplated, besides, the launch of a new personal videoconferencing system for 80 professionals of this Institute and the provision of four room videoconferencing equipment. The installation of the latter, which will conclude in January 2012, It is the result of the collaboration agreement signed with the state public entity Red.es and financed with European funds..

The installation will be completed in January and will be especially relevant, well “saves a lot of time and makes everyday work easier, especially to participate in views that are held in more remote locations”, pointed out Benito López de Abajo, director of the institution.