[What does the primary care physician now about his deceased patients? A study of deaths in a group practice]

Information about the cause of death is regarded as crucial for quality improvement in medicine. Although patients often consult their general practitioner close to their death, he or she is seldom involved as the attending physician during the terminal stage of life, and is often not told about death and its causes. This study analyses the extent of knowledge among general practitioners about deaths and the causes of death among their patients. Over a 46 month period, 8,627 patients had consulted a suburban group practice outside the city of Oslo, consisting of three general practitioners. 105 patients (0.3%) had died within the period. 40% of the deaths and 65% of the causes of death were unknown to the general practitioners. More than half of the patients died in the local hospital, and one fifth in a nursing home. The general practitioner issued only 7% of the death certificates. Information was lacking in particular on violent deaths and deaths among younger people. A routine should be established to provide general practitioners with information about the death of a patient, and its causes.