The organisation and value of autopsies

There has been a considerable reduction in the frequency of autopsies over the past few decades. We wanted to investigate whether doctors consider this a proper and natural development, or whether they consider that autopsies should be given a higher priority, and in such case, how.

Resources, organisation and opinions on autopsy practice were registered using a questionnaire sent to all pathology departments at Norwegian hospitals, and to all doctors in the clinical departments of Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway.

392 clinicians replied (percentage of replies 50.3 %). Of these, 82 % considered autopsies to be a good means of quality assurance and quality control of the clinical work. 83 % considered that more autopsies should be performed on a national basis, and 65 % considered autopsies to be just as important today as previously, in spite of technological advances in medicine. However, 80 % of the clinicians attended autopsy demonstrations less than twice a year. The waiting time for autopsy reports was long - 66 days, on average. A majority of clinicians considered that reducing this time would lead to more autopsies being ordered.

Hospital doctors still consider autopsy to be a good means to assure the quality of clinical work. A reduction in the time needed to complete an autopsy report and better communication between clinicians and pathologists should be given priority.