title: A survey of general practitioners' views on autopsy reports.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the views of general practitioners on the quality and utility of autopsy reports, and on autopsies in general.
  
  
  METHODS
  For a period of six months, a questionnaire was enclosed with each autopsy report sent to a general practitioner from the mortuary at Manchester Royal Infirmary.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most (93.3%) general practitioners found the autopsy report useful, and many (66.7%) thought the bereaved relatives would do so too. However, only a minority (25.2%) would discuss the report with the relatives. A considerable proportion (20.0%) found the cause of death surprising, and a significant number (10.4%) felt the report would modify their future clinical practice. There was approval of autopsies in general, with most (88.6%) agreeing that autopsies reveal lesions not detected in life, and many (74.4%) indicating that loss of the autopsy would impair severely the monitoring of clinical standards.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  General practitioners appreciate autopsy reports, which may have a significant impact on clinical practice. Autopsy reports provide both case audit and information for relatives.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathological Sciences, University of Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karunaratne
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Benbow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001344:Autopsy / Q000592:standards*; D002423:Cause of Death; D003142:Communication; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records / Q000592:standards*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires