Autopsy

PACI pathologists perform medical autopsies at Memorial Medical Center. These autopsies are performed at the request of the families and physicians on patients hospitalized at Memorial Medical Center. This is a hospital service and is extended for patients that have recently been hospitalized and discharged in the last thirty days. Families are not charged for this service. If autopsies are performed on patients hospitalized at Decatur Memorial Hospital, the attending physician has to request the autopsy. Decatur Memorial Hospital pays for the transport and performance of these autopsies. Autopsies are also performed on patients hospitalized at Passavant Area Hospital in Jacksonville. Passavant Area Hospital pays for the transportation of bodies.

Fifty to sixty medical autopsies are performed yearly at Memorial Medical Center. The autopsy performed by PACI pathologists is considered to be the final entry in the patient’s record. A comprehensive clinical pathologic correlation is recorded and pathologic gross and microscopic findings are correlated with the patient’s signs and symptoms together with the clinical laboratory and radiographic findings.

The purposes of this activity are multiple. The autopsy is considered the final quality control on all care given in the hospital. The autopsy cases are presented at a weekly pathology conference. If there is a problem with patient care, the hospital chairman of the department responsible for the patient’s medical care is notified in writing and a review of the procedures and medical care activity is discussed at departmental meetings. Final reports are sent to the patient’s physicians and when requested to the decedent’s family.