Hospital Autopsies

A hospital autopsy is performed when an individual dies in a hospital or other health care facility and the family and physicians would like the autopsy evaluation performed to determine the exact cause of death or help them understand the disease processes that led to the death. The next of kin of the deceased individual needs to give permission and sign a consent form for a hospital autopsy. Hospital autopsies can be performed by either forensic or hospital pathologists. The autopsy procedure in hospital deaths can provide valuable information for both the family and physicians treating the patient. They may help uncover unknown disease processes and aid in the evaluation of the care of future patients. Just like in other autopsy examinations, a hospital autopsy may result in the family gaining valuable knowledge such as inherited diseases that can affect future generations.