Abstract
Background: The external post-mortem examination (EPME) is an important medical, legal and socio-economic task with far-reaching relevance; however, due to discrepancies between findings from EPMEs and actual cause of death, improvements in accuracy and quality are needed.Objectives: To investigate knowledge, competencies and attitudes regarding EPME in general practitioner (GP) post-graduate trainees.Methods: Before four post-graduate training courses on the EPME for general practitioner trainees, organized in 2014 in the German federal state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, a questionnaire on the EPME was distributed by the lecturer, completed by the GP post-graduate trainees and returned to the lecturer. The questionnaire consisted of 19 items related to three main categories: knowledge, competencies and attitudes.Results: Out of 380 GP post-graduate trainees, 128 completed and returned the questionnaire (response rate 33.7%). Less than 18% felt adequately confident in identifying a natural cause of death and less than 5% felt adequately confident in identifying an unnatural cause of death. Only 33% consistently fully uncover the corpse for the EPME.Conclusion: We found an important uncertainty in GP post-graduate trainees regarding their EPME knowledge and competencies.
Highlights
The external post-mortem examination (EPME) plays an important medical, legal and socio-economic role
By EPME, we mean the medical duty by which the licensed physician verifies death, completes the medical certificate of cause of death, and is distinct to the ‘post-mortem’ autopsy used in English vernacular
In many European countries, the performance of the EPME and the completion of the death certificate is a medical duty for a general practitioner (GP), as for almost every licensed physician [1,2,3]
Summary
The external post-mortem examination (EPME) plays an important medical, legal and socio-economic role. By EPME, we mean the medical duty by which the licensed physician verifies death, completes the medical certificate of cause of death, and is distinct to the ‘post-mortem’ autopsy used in English vernacular. In many European countries, the performance of the EPME and the completion of the death certificate is a medical duty for a general practitioner (GP), as for almost every licensed physician [1,2,3]. The external post-mortem examination (EPME) is an important medical, legal and socio-economic task with far-reaching relevance; due to discrepancies between findings from EPMEs and actual cause of death, improvements in accuracy and quality are needed. Objectives: To investigate knowledge, competencies and attitudes regarding EPME in general practitioner (GP) post-graduate trainees. Conclusion: We found an important uncertainty in GP post-graduate trainees regarding their EPME knowledge and competencies
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