Fewer Autopsies May Mean Fewer Discovered Doctor Errors

After a loved one passes away in a hospital, will an autopsy take place to determine the exact cause of death of the patient? Although hospitals in the 1960s would perform autopsies on about half of deceased patients, today, only about five percent of bodies are examined to determine the real cause of death. Surprisingly, even many patients who die suddenly or of unclear causes never see the post-mortem examination table.
 
Why are rates so low? In many cases the financial incentives for hospitals to skip autopsies are too good to pass by. Hospitals no longer have to conduct autopsies to remain in good standing, and since getting paid by insurers to conduct autopsies isn’t profitable, many medical companies avoid them. Some hospitals are now being built without a place to conduct autopsies at all.
 
What are the consequences of fewer and fewer autopsies in America’s hospitals? Many experts worry that many patients’ deaths will be attributed to the wrong cause and that we will not learn important lessons from people who lost their lives. In addition, many believe that thousands of medical errors, such as medication overdoses and botched surgeries, will fly under the radar. One eye-opening study found that a surprising cause of death was uncovered in ten percent of autopsies.
 
At Rasansky Law Firm, we cannot stress enough how important it is for the family of a deceased loved one to understand exactly how their family member died and whether it could have been prevented. If you believe your loved one may have lost their life to a medical error, speak with a Texas medical malpractice attorney today.