October 17, 2022

 

Dentists and Dental Hygienists:

The Rhode Island Department of Health’s Office of Medical Examiners (OSME) is seeking help in identification of three decedents. We believe the decedents may be:

Decedent #1
Name: Charles Peterson

Date of birth: 1/23/1940

Address: 64 Baker Pine Rd., Richmond, RI

OSME Case number: 22-7343

Decedent #2
Name: Robert Cloutier

Date of birth: 5/16/1969

Address: 106 Birch St., Warren, RI

OSME Case number: 22-7339

Decedent #3
Name: Ethel Bowers

Date of birth: 01/26/1949

Address: 2072 Smith St., Apt. 303, North Providence, RI

OSME Case number: 22-7262

The OSME is looking for any imaging and/or charting to help identify the decedents. If you have any information that you believe may help us, please call our office at 401-222-5500 or email  david.detora@health.ri.gov and refer to the above case number.

Thank you for your assistance.

Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act’s (HIPAA) Privacy Rule, Protected Health Information (PHI), including portions of a record created by another provider, may be disclosed without the patient’s authorization in certain defined circumstances. They include the following: Disclosure that is required from some legal investigation, in an emergency, for public health activities, for situations in which the healthcare provider is a mandated reporter for example, child or elder abuse, in certain judicial and administrative proceedings, according to state law, for work of a funeral director, coroner, or medical examiner, for national defense and security if required or authorized by law.