INTERNAL MEDICINE
POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Policy And Procedure for
Review of Deaths and Obtaining Autopsies  
 Policy Number : 30
Date Issued : 11/2003
Prior Revision Date :
  Date Revised :
PURPOSE: To educate the residents about the importance of reviewing the clinical course of a patient who dies on his/her service.  To educate the residents about the process of obtaining an autopsy and the value of such.
SCOPE: Applies to all interns and residents (hereafter all will be referred to as trainees) in the Internal Medicine training program on the Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas campus. 
PROVISIONS:

Residents will report all deaths that occur on their service to the program director during morning report.  The report will be a verbal report and will include:

  • Patient name, date of admission
  • Reason for admission
  • Brief summary of hospital course
  • Reason for death
  • Attempted to obtain an autopsy

The death will be recorded in the patient logbook kept in the morning report room. 
Monthly CPC’s will be the forum to discuss the clinical course and the autopsy findings of interesting cases. 

Resident will attempt to obtain an autopsy on any patient that dies on his/her service when:

  • The cause of death is unknown
  • The death was unexpected

Limited autopsies are encouraged.  This involves the evaluation of specific organs and not a complete autopsy.

Consent forms are available at every nursing station.  The next of kin must sign the consent form.  The resident should work together with the attending to obtain the autopsy. 

The Pathology Department will forward all autopsy reports to the Program Director for review.  If the patient was on the teaching service, a copy of autopsy report will be given to the resident and intern responsible for the patient. 

   
MARK FELDMAN, M.D.                                      
Chairman, Internal Medicine                                     

BRUCE BOUGENO
Vice President, Medical Staff Affairs