How Well Do We Communicate Autopsy Findings to Next of Kin

Abstract Context.—A failure of communication among families, physicians, and pathologists is recognized as a major cause of declining autopsy rates and may be involved in increased litigation. Objective.—To determine how effectively autopsy results are communicated to the next of kin and how satisfied families are with the process from consent to relaying of the results. Design.—A retrospective telephone survey of next of kin of 106 consecutive patients autopsied at a major teaching hospital. The family was asked questions on the process of obtaining consent and the information they received back from health care providers. Results.—Thirty-two percent of relatives indicated that they were not adequately informed as to the purpose of the autopsy. Eighty percent of respondents were notified of or obtained the results. The ways in which the autopsy findings were communicated varied, but 54% were involved in a discussion of the results with a medical professional. More than half of the families wished to have...