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Why is a Private Autopsy Performed?
A private autopsy can independently confirm or determine the cause of death, and identify the nature and extent of any other diseases present. It may also help you better understand your relative’s illness and cause of death. Our private autopsy results can also help with the treatment of other patients with similar illnesses. Information about causes of death is important for the planning of public health services in the future.
About MDC-Atlanta Private Autopsy Process:
Medical Diagnostic Choices (MDC-Atlanta) applies the following principles to autopsies and tissue removal:
• treating all deceased persons and family members with dignity and respect
• following national ethical standards, and ethics committee review where appropriate
• providing support, information and choices to family members in a sensitive way
• ensuring staff who approach family members are experienced and well trained
• seeking consent in a way that ensures it is fully informed and freely given
• respecting the wishes of the family members, and of the deceased person where known
• removing, keeping, preserving, using and disposing of all human tissue respectfully
• observing confidentiality, including any requests by family members
Here are the steps to take to request a Private Autopsy:
1) Call Dr. Gates to request a private autopsy. A completed Consent Form must be submitted with an appropriate signature by legal guardian/next of kin, with the appropriate fee prior to the commencement of the autopsy.
2) Request copies of complete medical records of deceased, and contact information for clinical doctor of the deceased to be submitted to Medical Diagnostic Choices, Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE: WE DO NOT PERFORM AN AUTOPSY ON DECEASED INDIVIDUAL WITH KNOWN OR SUSPECTED HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS DISEASE, I.E. PRION DISEASE.
3) Inform the funeral home about your intent to have an autopsy performed on your deceased family member. The autopsy will be performed during an appropriately scheduled time. The autopsy procedure must take place prior to the deceased body being embalmed or cremated. We perform modified autopsy where only selected organs are sampled in accordance with clinical data antecedent to death. A complete autopsy is not always necessary to unravel the cause of death.
4) For review and interpretation only on previous autopsy, inform the pathology department where autopsy was performed that you are requesting to have final autopsy report sent to MDC-Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia.
5) Provide complete mailing address and/or other contact information for legal guardian/next of kin of deceased. A Final Completed Autopsy Report or SECOND OPINION REPORT will be forwarded confidentially to the legal guardian/next of kin of the deceased within two (2) to four (4) weeks after completion of the autopsy.
NOTE:
Because it is not our intent to be deceptive in terms of what the autopsy information can provide, we will give you a preliminary assessment of the VALUE OF DOING AN AUTOPSY and our preliminary judgment with regards to cause of death after reviewing or discussing case with deceased primary physician, prior to commencing the autopsy procedure. This service is apart of our initial consultation assessment, and is COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE (Gratis). Our purpose is to give you a level of ASSURANCE that your loved one did not die in vain, or was not a victim of medical negligence which should never be covered up in a civilized society. In fact, an autopsy may disclose medical malfeasance and/or medical negligence, and could potentially justify legal recourse for financial compensation to surviving family member.
Did you know that if your loved one died in the hospital after being admitted into the hospital for more than 72 hours, generally a hospital-based pathologist is responsible for providing the autopsy without additional charge to PATIENT or PATIENT'S FAMILY? This is principally and generally because the hospital fee assessment for including autopsy is apart of line item BILLING or Part A Medicare distribution to hospital, when a patient is initially admitted. The pathology practice who has an exclusive contract with the hospital MUST provide those services without COST at the appropriate CONSENT OF LEGAL NEXT OF KIN. Be sure to read the HOSPITAL POLICY in this regards.
The word AUTOPSY literally means "seeing with one's own eyes" the cause of death.
Fee for Service: (Cash Only-MDC-Atlanta):
1. Autopsy review only by pathologist for second opinion: $500 U.S dollars with discussion of current medical literature
2. Adult Autopsy: $2000-$4000 U.S dollars, depending on level of complexity
3. Pediatric Autopsy: $500-$2000 U.S. dollars, depending on level of complexity
Note: Additional fees may apply for mobile service, and for selected laboratory tests.