TY - JOUR
T1 - Autopsies and Death Certificates in the Chronic Care Setting
AU - Gloth, F. Michael
AU - Burton, John R.
PY - 1990/2
Y1 - 1990/2
N2 - All autopsies (n = 34) performed over a period from July 1, 1981 to June 30, 1988 in a teaching nursing home were reviewed to determine the autopsy rate, to evaluate premortem versus postmortem diagnostic discrepancies, and to see if educational efforts could improve each. The autopsy rate was 3.5%. Major discrepancies appeared in 47.1% of cases. Pneumonia was the most frequent and most frequently missed diagnosis. Only 23 of 34 death certificates reflected the cause of death as documented in the chart, and only 12 had concordant diagnoses with those from autopsy. After a collective educational effort, the autopsy rate increased from a rate (average of initial six years) of 2.4% to 10.8% in the last year. The autopsy rate is low, but can be improved with educational efforts. Death certificates, in this population, may be misleading when used for general statistical purposes. 1990 The American Geriatrics Society
AB - All autopsies (n = 34) performed over a period from July 1, 1981 to June 30, 1988 in a teaching nursing home were reviewed to determine the autopsy rate, to evaluate premortem versus postmortem diagnostic discrepancies, and to see if educational efforts could improve each. The autopsy rate was 3.5%. Major discrepancies appeared in 47.1% of cases. Pneumonia was the most frequent and most frequently missed diagnosis. Only 23 of 34 death certificates reflected the cause of death as documented in the chart, and only 12 had concordant diagnoses with those from autopsy. After a collective educational effort, the autopsy rate increased from a rate (average of initial six years) of 2.4% to 10.8% in the last year. The autopsy rate is low, but can be improved with educational efforts. Death certificates, in this population, may be misleading when used for general statistical purposes. 1990 The American Geriatrics Society
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1990.tb03477.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1990.tb03477.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 2299120
AN - SCOPUS:0025056725
SN - 0002-8614
VL - 38
SP - 151
EP - 155
JO - Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
JF - Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
IS - 2
ER -