PREAMBLE
The Institutional Requirements of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education require that all residents receive instruction in quality-assurance/performance improvement, and, to the degree possible and in conformance with state law, residents should participate in appropriate components of the institution's performance improvement program.

The Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC) recognizes the importance of information derived from autopsies as a significant contribution to graduate medical education and to the institution’s quality assurance/improvement program. The GMEC strongly supports obtaining consent for autopsies and thereby augmenting the teaching programs for many clinical specialties as well as for the Pathology residency program.


POLICY
QA/QI Instruction and Participation: The Office of Medical Education shall provide each program with a copy of the document Quality Assessment and Improvement-An Overview by Dr. Tony Greenberg and Carlene Boyle. This document may be duplicated and distributed to residents as part of their instruction. In addition, the residents should regularly participate in program Morbidity and Mortality Conferences as well as other QA/QI oriented conferences. When possible, residents should serve on departmental QA/QI committees.

Autopsies: Autopsies are an essential part of resident education. All deaths must be reviewed and autopsies performed whenever possible. Residents must attempt to secure permission for autopsy on all deceased patients. The responsible attending physician must strongly encourage the obtaining of consents for autopsy and must assist the residents in obtaining permission when necessary.

Residents should be present at autopsies whenever possible. The Department of Pathology should notify residents so that the residents may be present for a review of the autopsy results. Residents should review the autopsy reports of their patients.

The GMEC will monitor the autopsy statistics by program at least on an annual basis.

Adopted August 2000, Reviewed July 2002, Reviewed August 2004

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