Integrating Forensic Science in Clinical Medicine: Enhancing Diagnosis and Patient Safety

Dear colleagues,

The Special Issue "Integrating Forensic Science in Clinical Medicine: Enhancing Diagnosis and Patient Safety" aims to explore a crucial and emerging area at the intersection of forensic science and clinical medicine. Traditionally, forensic science has been primarily associated with legal, investigative, or pathological contexts. However, the evolution of modern medicine and the increasing complexity of clinical care have highlighted the potential of forensic methodologies in identifying diagnostic errors, preventing adverse events, and improving overall patient safety.

The main objective of this Special Issue is to gather multidisciplinary contributions that demonstrate how forensic medical methodologies can be successfully applied in the context of clinical risk management. The integration of these competencies enables not only a more accurate reconstruction of critical clinical events, but also the development of preventive and educational protocols for healthcare professionals.

Given the growing importance of a safety culture in healthcare, fostering collaboration between forensic experts and clinicians represents a strategic opportunity to enhance the safety and quality of care, as well as to protect patients' rights.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to the Special Issue "Integrating Forensic Science in Clinical Medicine: Enhancing Diagnosis and Patient Safety". Traditionally, forensic science has been primarily associated with legal, investigative, or pathological contexts. However, the evolution of modern medicine and the increasing complexity of clinical care have highlighted the potential of forensic methodologies in identifying diagnostic errors, preventing adverse events, and improving overall patient safety.

This Special Issue aims to explore a crucial and emerging area at the intersection of forensic science and clinical medicine. The main objective of this Special Issue is to gather multidisciplinary contributions that demonstrate how forensic medical methodologies can be successfully applied in the context of clinical risk management. The integration of these competencies enables not only a more accurate reconstruction of critical clinical events, but also the development of preventive and educational protocols for healthcare professionals. Given the growing importance of a safety culture in healthcare, fostering collaboration between forensic experts and clinicians represents a strategic opportunity to enhance the safety and quality of care, as well as to protect patients' rights.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following: application of forensic pathology in clinical audits and mortality reviews; forensic approaches to diagnostic error identification and analysis; integration of toxicological findings into clinical decision-making and patient safety; use of forensic imaging and postmortem diagnostics in hospital settings; role of forensic genetics in medical malpractice investigations; development of interdisciplinary protocols for adverse event reconstruction; ethical and legal implications of forensic methods in clinical environments; training programs for clinicians on forensic-informed risk management; innovative technologies bridging forensic science and healthcare safety.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Francesco De Micco
Dr. Roberto Scendoni
Dr. Davide Ferorelli
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• healthcare risk management
• patient safety
• quality in healthcare
• medical malpractice
• adverse event
• forensic pathology
• innovative technologies for patient safety
• forensic imaging in healthcare
• forensic genetics
• ethical and legal aspects of forensic medicine