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Autopsy and grief: a case of transformative postmortem examination.

Publication ,  Journal Article
LeBlanc, TW; Tulsky, JA; Simel, DL
Published in: J Palliat Med
February 2012

BACKGROUND: A physician's obligations to deliver compassionate care do not end with a patient's death. When a patient dies there remains a responsibility to assist grieving family members. Unfortunately, many physicians feel ill prepared to assist in the bereavement process, not knowing what to say or how to say it. Although underutilized, the medical autopsy can play an important role in families' grief processes, particularly in those cases wherein uncertainties exist regarding the ultimate cause of death. DISCUSSION: Here we postulate a role for the medical autopsy in assisting families through the grief process, which we demonstrate via an illustrative case. Effective communication of these results to family members is the key to its therapeutic effect.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

J Palliat Med

DOI

EISSN

1557-7740

Publication Date

February 2012

Volume

15

Issue

2

Start / End Page

251 / 253

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • United States
  • Professional-Family Relations
  • Osteosarcoma
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Grief
  • Gerontology
  • Bone Neoplasms
  • Autopsy
  • Aged
 

Citation

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LeBlanc, T. W., Tulsky, J. A., & Simel, D. L. (2012). Autopsy and grief: a case of transformative postmortem examination. J Palliat Med, 15(2), 251–253. https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2011.0044
LeBlanc, Thomas W., James A. Tulsky, and David L. Simel. “Autopsy and grief: a case of transformative postmortem examination.J Palliat Med 15, no. 2 (February 2012): 251–53. https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2011.0044.
LeBlanc TW, Tulsky JA, Simel DL. Autopsy and grief: a case of transformative postmortem examination. J Palliat Med. 2012 Feb;15(2):251–3.
LeBlanc, Thomas W., et al. “Autopsy and grief: a case of transformative postmortem examination.J Palliat Med, vol. 15, no. 2, Feb. 2012, pp. 251–53. Pubmed, doi:10.1089/jpm.2011.0044.
LeBlanc TW, Tulsky JA, Simel DL. Autopsy and grief: a case of transformative postmortem examination. J Palliat Med. 2012 Feb;15(2):251–253.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Palliat Med

DOI

EISSN

1557-7740

Publication Date

February 2012

Volume

15

Issue

2

Start / End Page

251 / 253

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • United States
  • Professional-Family Relations
  • Osteosarcoma
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Grief
  • Gerontology
  • Bone Neoplasms
  • Autopsy
  • Aged