Open AccessIncreasing Autopsy Rates at a Public Hospital
Author(s) -
Souza Victor L.,
Rosner Fred
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of general internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.746
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 1525-1497
pISSN - 0884-8734
DOI - 10.1046/j.1525-1497.1997.012005315.x
Subject(s) - autopsy , medicine , permission , intervention (counseling) , public health , family medicine , pediatrics , medical emergency , pathology , nursing , law , political science
Despite the acknowledged value of autopsies, autopsy rates are low in American hospitals. We developed an extensive intervention to increase the autopsy rate on the medical service of our urban teaching hospital and to identify obstacles to obtaining permission for autopsy. The 6‐month intervention increased the autopsy rate from 7.5% during the previous 2 years to 16.8%, but this effect disappeared after the intervention. Among patients for whom permission for autopsy was not obtained, physicians failed to request permission for 31% and families refused permission for 69%. KEY WORDS: autopsy; autopsy rate; permission for autopsy; public hospitals.