Kolkata: The West Bengal Health Department has made it mandatory to conduct “death audits” for fatalities resulting from road transport accidents (RTAs). This decision was made during a Chief Medical Officers of Health (CMOH) meeting on December 16, following which the Deputy Director of Health Services issued an official order.
The directive requires that every death caused by an RTA be audited at the medical facility level. All medical colleges, hospitals, district CMOHs, and deputy CMOHs have been instructed to ensure that death audits are performed for RTA fatalities, with a compiled report to be submitted to the state Health Department every Monday by noon.
According to Health Department sources, a “death audit” involves maintaining detailed records starting from the victim’s admission to the medical facility, documenting the type of treatment provided, and ultimately identifying the cause of death. These reports will be stored in the state Health Department’s portal.
The death audit is seen as essential in addition to the post-mortem report, which only details the cause of death. The death audit provides a comprehensive record of the victim’s treatment and accident details, helping identify areas where medical care could be improved for future accident victims. Additionally, it will give the Health Department insight into the resources and infrastructure available at healthcare facilities to manage road accident cases more effectively.