How to check if a patient is dead?

[watermen]

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Does anyone here know how to check if the patient is still alive or dead? I don't mean inpatient. I mean those patient with cancer, then they died somewhere else or in another hospital, is there anyway to check, let's say I have their social security number, and all their particular?

 

[OB1🤙]

I nominate this for Best Thread Title Ever.

I have no idea about the answer to your question though.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

I nominate this for Best Thread Title Ever.

I have no idea about the answer to your question though.

👍

The question asked by the OP was not what I was expecting when I saw this thread.....

 

[Bertelman]

OP: I'd stop while you are still ahead. If this patient has been discharged from the hospital, your access to their info such as SS#, etc. is in violation of the confidentiality agreements you signed. You are not their doctor. You have no business doing detective work to see what's up. This activity you plan is not beneficial to the patient, only your own curiosity.

If you are truly concerned, start scanning the obits in the local newspaper. That's free, and won't land you in the Dean's office.

 

[watermen]

OP: I'd stop while you are still ahead. If this patient has been discharged from the hospital, your access to their info such as SS#, etc. is in violation of the confidentiality agreements you signed. You are not their doctor. You have no business doing detective work to see what's up. This activity you plan is not beneficial to the patient, only your own curiosity.

If you are truly concerned, start scanning the obits in the local newspaper. That's free, and won't land you in the Dean's office.

But what if this is in the research project, and you are just one of the team members that being asked to do the job? I haven't started yet anyway, because I don't know where to start?

 

[fang]

Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but knowing whether you can check if someone is dead using their social security number would be useful information for someone involved in identity theft.

hmmm....

If you're just trying to check up on a previous patient, maybe you should ask your attending or someone else involved in their care-- just say you were thnking about the patient and wondered about how they're doing.

 

[Bertelman]

But what if this is in the research project, and you are just one of the team members that being asked to do the job? I haven't started yet anyway, because I don't know where to start?

There are so many details one would need to advise you in this situation. Far more details than you have provided, and far more than most of us here care to consider. I would start with your Principal Investigator, who has (hopefully) obtained approval for this project. Or ask one of the other team members charged with doing the same task.

Generally, hospitals don't take kindly to random personnel calling to check to see if a patient has died, especially if this call has absolutley no bearing on the care of said patient.

Seriously, approach whomever told you to gather this info. Ask this person how you should proceed.

 

[watermen]

Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but knowing whether you can check if someone is dead using their social security number would be useful information for someone involved in identity theft.

hmmm....

If you're just trying to check up on a previous patient, maybe you should ask your attending or someone else involved in their care-- just say you were thnking about the patient and wondered about how they're doing.

It is the attending that took care of those patient that told me to find out if his patient is still alive. Now the question is, where the hell am I going to find out if the patient is alive or dead, checking with the hospital chart record is one option, but I know not all patient who died come back to the same hospital, for those who died somewhere else, how am I suppose to check out?

 

[deleted87716]

Well, you could just search for their death certificate: http://www.vitalrec.com/

 

[watermen]

Well, you could just search for their death certificate: http://www.vitalrec.com/

Wow, looks promising. I will try it out tomorrow, thanks for your input. 🙂

 

[doctorp82]

Find their primary in the med record. Contact them on the status of the patient when your hospital's record doesn't have death info. Paper trail, man....

 

[MeowMix]

In general, if you want to find out if someone with a SS # has died, you look them up in the social security death index online (SSDI, google it). I don't know how long it takes for people to get into the SSDI.

I sometimes will look for obituaries of people I've seen as patients; I didn't think it was a violation of any agreement. It gives me a sense of closure and helps me understand better and remember the prognosis for people with those conditions (pancreatic cancer, abd aortic thrombosis, etc.).

 

[Bertelman]

In general, if you want to find out if someone with a SS # has died, you look them up in the social security death index online (SSDI, google it). I don't know how long it takes for people to get into the SSDI.

I sometimes will look for obituaries of people I've seen as patients; I didn't think it was a violation of any agreement. It gives me a sense of closure and helps me understand better and remember the prognosis for people with those conditions (pancreatic cancer, abd aortic thrombosis, etc.).

Public info, it's not in violation of any agreements. I got the feeling the OP was going to start calling hospitals, etc, armed with a SS# asking questions. That would probably be frowned on.

 

[watermen]

Well, you could just search for their death certificate: http://www.vitalrec.com/

I tried out today. But to no avail. I tried it by checking a patient who I know passed away, and it turn out nothing. Any other suggestion?

 

[AlternateSome1]

Get their phone number from the patient record and call them to ask them a few questions about the research project. Either they answer the phone or someone tells you they are dead. You will have your answer either way.

 

[watermen]

Get their phone number from the patient record and call them to ask them a few questions about the research project. Either they answer the phone or someone tells you they are dead. You will have your answer either way.

I thought of that too, but someone told me that would cause distress to the family member who answer my question, which is not a good idea...so I really do not know what to do now.

 

[deleted87716]

I tried out today. But to no avail. I tried it by checking a patient who I know passed away, and it turn out nothing. Any other suggestion?

Invite them to a party and see if they RSVP? 😉

Sorry, I've got nothing.

 

[watermen]

Invite them to a party and see if they RSVP? 😉

Sorry, I've got nothing.

But thanks for your help anyway.🙂

 

[AlternateSome1]

I thought of that too, but someone told me that would cause distress to the family member who answer my question, which is not a good idea...so I really do not know what to do now.

You don't call up and ask, "Excuse me, is Mr. X dead or alive?" Ask to speak to Mr. X about your project. If he answers, just ask something related to your research project. They don't have to know you have a hidden agenda.

 

[Bertelman]

You don't call up and ask, "Excuse me, is Mr. X dead or alive?" Ask to speak to Mr. X about your project. If he answers, just ask something related to your research project. They don't have to know you have a hidden agenda.

Still not sure if this is cool. Is there a true research project here with IRB approval? Did this patient ever sign a consent form? I think the best option yet is to access the patient's primary physician and call their office. They should be aware of the patient's status.