There are two types of external examinations of the deceased: the “standard” external examination and the medico-legal external examination.
The standard external examination
The standard external examination is carried out by the deceased’s own doctor if the death occurs at home, or by a hospital doctor if the death occurs at the hospital.
The purpose of the examination is to determine the cause and manner of death and to assess whether a hospital autopsy should be performed.
Before conducting the external examination, the doctor must also consider whether the death should be reported to the police with a view to a medico-legal external examination (see below).
Even in cases where death occurs at home, relatives can, by agreement with their GP and the local department of pathological anatomy, request an autopsy.
The medico-legal external examination
A medico-legal external examination is conducted when the conditions laid out in the Danish Health Act are met — for example, in cases of suspected crime, accident, suicide, or another unexpected event that may require the attention of the justice system or, in some cases, the Labour Market Insurance.
The doctor who confirms the death contacts the police to initiate the medico-legal external examination. The police then decide — often in consultation with the Danish Patient Safety Authority — whether a medico-legal external examination is to be carried out.
If the police decide not to proceed with a medico-legal external examination, a standard external examination will instead be conducted by the deceased’s own doctor or a hospital doctor (see above).
Medico-legal external examinations are usually carried out at a hospital. On Funen, they take place at the Department of Forensic Medicine, but it is important to note that the examination itself is not carried out by the department. It is performed by a doctor from the Danish Patient Safety Authority and the police. The Department of Forensic Medicine only provides facilities and transport assistance in this connection.
As part of the police’s assessment of whether a medico-legal external examination may be required, relatives will be asked if they have any objections to an autopsy.
It should be noted that this is not a promise from the police that an autopsy will be performed — the decision is made during the medico-legal external examination.
If no medico-legal external examination is to be carried out, or if the police decide during the examination not to proceed with a medico-legal autopsy, a hospital autopsy may be arranged.
This requires that the relatives (preferably via their own doctor) contact one of the following pathology departments:
- Department of Clinical Pathology at Odense University Hospital
- Department of Pathological Anatomy, Southwest Jutland Hospital in Esbjerg
- Department of Pathology, Sønderborg Hospital
Storage of the deceased
If there is a possibility that a medico-legal external examination will be carried out, the deceased will be transported to the Department of Forensic Medicine and kept there until a decision is made.
If it is decided that no medico-legal external examination will take place, responsibility for the deceased is transferred from the Department of Forensic Medicine to Odense University Hospital.
If a medico-legal external examination and possibly an autopsy are to be performed, the Department of Forensic Medicine assumes responsibility for the deceased.
As a result, some deceased individuals may be brought to the Department of Forensic Medicine without the department having any case information, for example if the external examination is to be carried out by a substitute for the deceased’s GP and without police involvement.
In such cases, we kindly ask for your understanding that, although the deceased is located at the department, we may not be able to provide any advice or information regarding the death.