Practical arrangements
If a patient dies at home, the procedure to follow is to call the home nursing duty staff, who will come to assist the family and call a doctor to verify the death of the patient. The visit by the doctor is non-urgent, and he or she may come the next day. There is no need to call the police or an ambulance. The deceased can be removed immediately the doctor has certified death, but again there is no need for urgency.
In a health centre, hospital or nursing home the patient’s relatives are summoned when his or her condition starts to deteriorate. The patient’s relatives are given time to be in peace with the patient after his or her death.
The doctor in charge issues a death certificate and the home care nurse, health centre, hospital or nursing home submits it to the Population Registry, from where its it sent out to various authorities. The death certificate is also a burial permit.
No autopsy is performed on patients who die in nursing homes, because the cause if death is generally evident. Autopsies are only performed in the event of a case of occupational disease, when a forensic autopsy is performed.
The deceased’s relatives or friends can make the necessary funeral arrangements either independently or with the assistance of a funeral directors or church parish.
Updated 10.7.2009
