Hailey Tran
Death is a common occurrence in hospitals, but hospitals go to great lengths to conceal how they handle it. Once death has been formally pronounced and documented, the body is usually taken to a morgue or mortuary, where it is stored at a low temperature to delay decomposition. The family may be able to view the body in the morgue, and the hospital will care for the deceased until plans have been made with the chosen funeral director. The doctor will advise if the death requires the attention of the coroner, who may arrange for an autopsy to be performed. Hospital staff, social workers, and bereavement staff are available to provide support and help with decision-making.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of people dying in hospitals | 35.1% in the US |
| What happens after someone dies in the hospital | Hospital staff will inform the next of kin. If the deceased had registered for organ donation, the transplant coordinator will talk to the next of kin. |
| A hospital social worker will be assigned to help make decisions, including whether to conduct an autopsy, donate organs, or donate the body to medical science. | |
| The hospital will care for the deceased until plans have been made with the chosen funeral director. | |
| The doctor will advise if the death requires the attention of the coroner. | |
| The family can view the body in the morgue if they didn't get a chance to view it earlier. | |
| If an autopsy is needed, the hospital will release the body to the local medical examiner's office. | |
| If no autopsy is needed, the family will need to arrange for transporting the body to the funeral home. | |
| Hospitals' approach to handling dead bodies | Hospitals go to great lengths to conceal how they handle dead bodies to avoid causing a stir and negatively impacting patient experience. |
| Morgues | A morgue or mortuary is a place used for storing human corpses awaiting identification, removal for autopsy, burial, cremation, or other methods of disposal. |
| Bodies are typically kept between 2°C and 4°C in a morgue, which delays decomposition. |
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What You'll Learn
Hospitals conceal the removal of bodies to avoid upsetting patients
Hospitals go to great lengths to conceal how they handle dead bodies to avoid upsetting patients. While death is common in hospitals, it is seldom witnessed by other patients. Hospitals use various strategies to discreetly remove bodies and avoid causing a stir. For example, they may cover bodies with white linen sheets, making them look like patients being transported between different hospital departments. This is a common occurrence in hospitals, so it doesn't draw much attention.
In addition, hospitals typically keep bodies in the morgue for a day or less to avoid any potential disturbances. If the family didn't view the body before, they may be able to do so in the morgue. The morgue helps alleviate fears of being buried alive and allows for the confirmation that the deceased are truly dead. In modern times, corpses are refrigerated to delay decomposition, with temperatures ranging from 2°C to 4°C.
After a death has occurred, a hospital social worker is assigned to help make decisions, including autopsies, organ donation, and the disposition of the body. The social worker also assists in identifying a funeral home and contacting the funeral director, who will arrange to collect the deceased from the hospital. The hospital will care for the deceased until plans have been finalized with the chosen funeral director.
The doctor will advise if the death requires the attention of the coroner, who investigates if the death appears unusual. If an autopsy is needed, the coroner requires the body to be left as it was at the time of death. The family can request that no autopsy be conducted by contacting the coroner's office directly. In some cases, the hospital medical staff will refer the death to the coroner for further analysis.
Overall, hospitals prioritize patient experience and want them to focus on their recovery and positive future expectations. They don't want patients to be reminded of their mortality, so they take extra steps to conceal the removal of bodies and handle these delicate situations discreetly.
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Families may view the body in the morgue
A morgue or mortuary is a place used for the storage of human corpses awaiting identification, removal for autopsy, burial, cremation, or other methods of disposal. In modern times, corpses are refrigerated to delay decomposition. The term "morgue" is predominantly used in North American English, while "mortuary" is used in the U.K.
If the death was questionable, the body will be sent to the local medical examiner's office for examination, and most offices do not allow viewings. In such cases, the family may be advised to arrange a time to view the body with the funeral home that will handle the disposition services.
Funeral homes commonly offer viewings, memorial services, or wakes where the body is present. However, it may not be possible for family members to view the body while it is being prepared for the funeral services, especially if embalming fluid is used. Additionally, some crematories offer witness cremations, allowing family members to watch their loved one being cremated.
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Hospitals coordinate with funeral directors
Hospitals go to great lengths to conceal how they handle the deceased to avoid causing a stir among patients. They want patients to focus on their recovery and not be reminded of their mortality.
Once death has occurred, the hospital will care for the deceased until plans have been made with the chosen funeral director. The hospital social worker may help identify a local funeral home and contact the funeral home. The funeral director can then work one-on-one with hospital staff to arrange transport, including the proper paperwork for releasing the body. The funeral director can take care of all aspects of the funeral, such as ordering flowers, putting notices in the newspaper, and handling the legal paperwork for either burial or cremation.
The body will usually be kept in the morgue for a day or less, and the family may be able to view the body during this time. If the death requires the attention of the coroner, the body will be released to the coroner's office, and the family will need to correspond with them to arrange transport. If no autopsy is needed, the family will need to make arrangements for transporting the body themselves, typically by contacting the funeral home that will provide disposition services.
Hospital staff, social workers, and pastoral care workers may be able to give advice and support to grieving families.
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Autopsies may be required to determine cause of death
When a person dies in a hospital, the hospital staff need to make the transition without causing a stir among the other patients. Hospitals go to great lengths to conceal how they handle such situations. After the death has been formally pronounced and documented, the body is usually moved to a morgue or mortuary, where it is stored at a low temperature to delay decomposition. The family may be able to view the body in the morgue if they did not get a chance to view it previously.
Autopsies may be required to determine the cause of death. If an autopsy is required, the hospital will release the body to the local medical examiner's office, and staff and the family will need to correspond with the office to arrange transport. The body must be left exactly as it was at the time of death. It is possible to request that no autopsy be conducted, but this request should be directed to the coroner's office.
The coroner investigates a death if it appears to meet certain criteria, such as if the death was due to criminal violence, occurred in police custody, or occurred under anaesthesia. If the cause of death is unclear, an autopsy or physical examination may be necessary to determine it. In such cases, the body is released to the medical examiner's office, and the family will need to arrange transport. If no autopsy is required, the family can proceed with funeral arrangements.
In some cases, the hospital medical staff will refer the death to the coroner, who may request an autopsy. A social worker may be assigned to help the family make decisions, including whether to consent to an autopsy or donate the deceased's organs or body to medical science. Hospital staff, social workers, and pastoral care workers can provide advice and support to the family.
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Organs and tissues are removed for donation
If a person has registered to be an organ donor, the hospital will talk to their next of kin about removing their organs and tissues for donation. This process is time-sensitive, and organs must be removed very soon after death. A specialized surgical team will recover the organs and tissues, ensuring that the donor's body remains in a fit condition for the funeral, including for an open casket service. The team will then preserve the organs in special containers and deliver them to the recipient's transplant hospital.
Organ donation and transplantation is a complex, coordinated effort that saves and heals many lives. Organs are transplanted from donors to recipients in back-to-back surgeries. Healthcare providers assess the health of organs and tissues to determine their viability for donation. Some organs are only viable for six hours after being removed, so rapid transfer is critical.
There are two types of tissue and organ donation: directed and non-directed. In directed donation, the donor names a specific recipient, while in non-directed donation, no specific recipient is named. Living donation can involve the kidney, partial liver, or lung, and offers reduced transplant wait times. However, it is a challenging decision that should be made in consultation with healthcare professionals.
Almost everyone is a potential organ or tissue donor, with no official age limit. People can register to donate their organs, corneas, and tissues, including bone. Certain transplants, such as hands, face, limbs, or womb transplants, are rare and require special research programs and additional agreements from the donor's family.
It is important to respect individuals' cultural, ethical, or religious beliefs regarding organ donation and transplantation. While most major religions and belief systems in the UK support these principles, personal beliefs should not interfere with a patient's right to self-determination. Healthcare professionals should prioritize the patient's wishes and provide support in making these difficult decisions.
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Frequently asked questions
Once the death has been formally pronounced and documented, the hospital staff will inform the next of kin. The hospital will care for the deceased until plans have been made with a funeral director. The family may be able to view the body in the morgue. The doctor will advise if the death requires the attention of the coroner.
If the deceased had registered for organ or tissue donation and is eligible, the transplant coordinator at the hospital will talk to the next of kin as the organs and tissues for transplantation have to be removed very soon after death.
The funeral home should be able to provide answers. If preferred, the funeral home can take over so that the family doesn't have to deal with third parties.
