How to Buy an Autopsy
Concerned about Malpractice? You May Need to Find a Private Autopsy
Aug 24, 2008
Deaths in hospitals are traumatic. At the moment when survivors are reeling in shock, many decisions have to be made which have a lasting impact. One of these is whether or not to call for an autopsy. The situation is complicated by the fact that if there has been medical malfeasance, the doctors themselves may pretend to want to find out what happened exactly and urge a post-mortem examination with the hope of misleading the survivors.
In the past, all hospital deaths were required by law to be autopsied. This has gradually been watered down to the point that in most places almost no autopsies are required by law unless murder is suspected.
Finding an Unbiased Autopsy Provider
When an attending physician asks for permission to have an autopsy performed, the procedure will be performed at the hospital by his or her colleagues. Will the results be unbiased? Even if the doctor is not exerting pressure on the autopsy results, he may still speak with the forensic pathologist and ask her to look for one thing or another. Since time is limited, the requests may prevent the person performing the autopsy from looking at other potential causes of death and other irregularities.
The County Coroner's Office
You don't have to have an autopsy performed by the hospital. You have many options for this procedure. One of the most readily available is the county coroner's office. Depending on state and local regulations, the coroner's office is usually willing to undertake a private autopsy. The costs will usually be less than going to a private provider, and the results tend to hold up well in court. They also permanently store crucial samples for examination later if necessary. And, usually, there won't be a "hard-sell" coming from the county coroner.
Private Autopsy Companies
Private autopsy companies vary in quality and cost. Some of them may even employ hard-sell techniques, demanding you schedule at once because they will be doing another autopsy in your town and they can give you a special rate without extra travel costs ... or offering discounts on more detailed services, such as a more in-depth examination of the brain for drug traces and so on. For stressed survivors, it can be hard to fend off these unexpected sales pitches. If you feel pressured, simply thank them and tell them you will call back later as you need to discuss it with another relative before deciding.
The National Association of Medical Examiners provides a list of private autopsy providers, without endorsing any of them.
