[Role of the physician in the case of death out-of-hospital].
Concerning a concrete case the author analyses the process of death detection that occurs out-of-hospitals in approximately 50,000 cases per year in Hungary, focusing the declaration of the fact and the type (natural/unnatural) of death. Author presents obligatory tasks of the primary care physician, the importance of the death examination, subtypes of unnatural death, and the role of the physician in the legal procedure performed by the police. The decision making process and its control mechanisms are also presented proving that there is no case in which only one person is entitled to make final decisions. Strength and weakness of the Hungarian legislation are enlightened to argue for the traditional death detection by the primary care physician. The most important conclusion is that the final case summary ("cadaveric epicrisis") made by the primary care doctor would be useful in out-of-hospital death cases for the purpose of quality assurance, health policy planning and malpractice claims raised later.
Szegedi Tudományegyetem, Általános Orvostudományi Kar, Szent-Györgyi Albert Klinikai Központ, Igazságügyi Intézet, Szeged, Kossuth Lajos sgt. 40. 6724. kereszty.eva.margit@med.u-szeged.hu
Éva Margit
ÉM
Kereszty
D001344:Autopsy; D002102:Cadaver; D003643:Death; D003657:Decision Making; D006291:Health Policy; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D007883:Legislation, Medical; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D010808:Physical Examination; D010819:Physician's Role; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care; D016495:Police; D011050:Policy Making; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends