Hi Vinnie,
   This is a reply from across the street at Roper Hospital.  Our situations 
are very different in that we don't handle the volume that you do. Since our 
volume is so small, our "morgue attendant" also is required to handle many 
other Histology and general lab duties.
    The nursing department is required to complete all the necessary forms 
including the death certificate, report of death form (which includes autopsy 
permission) and the burial-transit form. Our pathololgy department is not 
involved in any way unless an autopsy is requested.  And then only to make 
sure the forms are complete and correct and that these forms are sent tothe 
ER registration desk for the funeral home to  pick up.  The Er registration 
personell then make sure the appropriate copies get back to mecical records.
   By the way,
    Welcome to Charleston!  Best of luck and hope to meet you soon.  I am an 
"old" employee of MUSC and since moving to Roper have enjoyed a wonderful 
relationship with the pathology department at MUSC.  
Mara Fairman
AP Supervisor
Roper Hospital
Charleston, SC