Digitalization in forensic medicine

BACKGROUND: A decree of the President of Russia defines the introduction of digital technologies as a national goal for the breakthrough development of the country. The development of digital technologies in forensic medicine ensures the success of individual expert tasks and demonstrates the possibility of digital transformation in forensic activity.

AIM: To examine the attitude of forensic experts toward digital transformation in their professional activity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey was developed for 77 forensic experts from the Bureau of Forensic Examination of the Republic of Bashkortostan and Voronezh, Kirov, and Samara regions. A questionnaire survey containing six questions with three answer options each was developed in accordance with the purpose and objectives of the study.

The methods of variation statistics, analysis, synthesis, and comparison were used.

RESULTS: This study investigated the level of experts’ understanding of the goals of digital transformation in medicine, assessed the experts’ perception of the process of digital transformation in forensic medicine, analyzed the experts’ awareness of the application of digital technologies in expert practice, determined the attitude of experts toward the digital transformation in forensic medicine, and evaluated the respondents’ opinion on the possible impact of digital technologies on the objectivity of the results of expert studies. The viewpoints of forensic practitioners on the relevance and importance of digital transformation in forensic activity were obtained. The recommendations for optimization of digital transformation in forensic medical activity were generated.

CONCLUSION: Forensic experts show a low level of interest on the issue of digital transformation in forensic activity. In the present case, experts have highlighted the relevance of digital transformation for their professional activity and cognitive importance of digital technologies for expert knowledge.