> Are there differences in different areas? > Is "autopsy has to be performed" a city, county, state, or federal > mandate?
Fred, There are no Federal mandates regarding autopsy. However, each state has its own criteria but generally the criteria are for referral to a coroner who then determines if an autopsy is warranted. So to give a concrete example in CA any deaths that occur within 24 hours of a patient having surgery is automatically a coroner's case. What this means is the hospital calls the coroner and gives them the circumstances of the death. The coroner then can choose to take the patient for further investigation or release the body to go to a funeral home/family/etc. Having, unfortunately had family members pass in a home not witnessed I can also tell you that there are no mandatory autopsies. -Ali
