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This article is from the Autopsy - A Screenwriter's Guide FAQ, by Edward O. Uthman uthman@neosoft.com with numerous contributions by
others.
11 After the autopsy (Autopsy - A Screenwriter's Guide)
Days to weeks later, the processed microscopic slides are
examined by the attending pathologist, who renders the final
diagnoses and dictates the report. Only the pathologist can
formally issue the report, even if he or she was not the
prosector (i.e., the prosector was a resident, PA, or med
student). The report is of variable length but almost always
runs at least three pages. It may be illustrated with
diagrams that the prosector draws from scratch or fills in
on standard forms with anatomical drawings. The Joint
Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
(JCAHO), which certifies hospitals, requires the final
report to be issued within sixty days of the actual autopsy.
The College of American Pathologists, which certifies
medical laboratories, requires that this be done in thirty
days. Nevertheless, pathologists are notorious for tardiness
in getting the final report out, sometimes resulting in
delays of years. Perhaps the non-compensated nature of
autopsy practice has something to do with this. Pathologists
are otherwise very sensitive to turnaround times.
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