The Autopsy Process

The Autopsy and Morgue Service is open every day of the year to perform autopsies and release patients to funeral homes. An autopsy can be completed within one to two days depending on when the patient and consent are received. The morgue staff works with the funeral director of the family’s choosing to ensure the patient is available for funeral arrangements in a timely manner. The autopsy should not delay the funeral arrangements.

The autopsy process, including scrutiny of the consent, review of the patient’s chart, and a physical examination, only takes a few hours to complete. (See What is an Autopsy?) An autopsy is a highly specialized surgical procedure that will not interfere with any potential funeral arrangements. Tissue is retained for examination to allow the patient to be released into the care of funeral director so as not to delay funeral arrangements. Restrictions requesting a return of organs will temporarily delay the release of a patient in order to ensure proper retention of necessary tissue for diagnostic purposes. Following an autopsy, a provisional report is signed out within 2-4 business days and a final report is generated within 90 days. However, the final autopsy report may take longer than 90 days, depending on the complexity of the case and the need for additional studies. All personnel involved in the process strive to provide timely answers to the families.

The autopsy report can be requested at the time of consenting to the procedure by making note on the Consent that you would like to receive a copy. Once the autopsy has been completed, a report can be requested by completing the Autopsy Report Request Form. Please note that only the person who gave permission for the autopsy may receive a copy of the autopsy report. The request form must be completed, notarized, and mailed to the address on the form. Requests for reports will not be fulfilled without the original notarized form. This is to protect the decedent’s information and ensure only the person who gave consent for the autopsy is granted access to the results.

The autopsy report is highly technical. The Service recommends that the findings be reviewed with a clinician of your choosing to ensure understanding of the contents and how each aspect of the process relates to the others.