Autopsy Consent Changes Made
BWH Policy for Autopsy Consent Procedure and Autopsy Criteria and Permission for Postmortem Examination and Disposition of Organs consent forms have been updated to reflect changes in Massachusetts law. The most significant change in the updated consent gives the next-of-kin options for disposal of organs and tissues examined at autopsy.
“Autopsies are valuable in assuring the quality of modern clinical practice as they allow us to elucidate the cause of death, to see if our management was appropriate and to explain fully the cause of death and other existing disease processes to family members,” Gayle Winters, MD, director of the Autopsy Division in Pathology, said. Autopsies also bring valuable data forward relative to the accuracy of biopsy and imaging data and assessments for safety and effectiveness of drugs, medical devices and other new technologies.
Care givers are urged to explain the purpose of the autopsy and that the next-of-kin has the right to restrict autopsy and control final disposition of organs and tissues. It is important that care givers and the decedent’s family understand that the ability of the pathologists to provide the most complete and valuable information will be maximized by the most thorough and unrestricted postmortem examination and subsequent analysis and disposal of organs and tissues.
According to the new law, the deceased’s next-of kin must choose one of three options relative to organ and tissue disposal prior to an autopsy. They are: 1. BWH will dispose of any organs/tissues examined, as has been the long-term practice; 2. the family takes responsibility to make arrangements for disposal of organs and tissues examined within a 30-day time limit; 3. no organs and/or tissues are retained, and all organs and tissues must be returned to the body at the time of release to the funeral home.
The new law also requires that the next-of-kin who gives permission also receive a copy of the completed autopsy consent form. Please print and sign name, title and ID number with date and time on the form, and give a copy to the next-of-kin (by mail if telephonic consent), and send a copy to the Admitting Office.
Anyone with questions can call Pathology at ext. 2-5141, the Pathology Chief Resident at pager 11661, or the Admitting Office at ext. 2-7450. The updated policy (I-26A) is available on www.bwhpikenotes.org under Hospitalwide Policies and Manuals. Search for “autopsy consent.”