News Update on “Hospital Not Brought In” Protocols

Written By Kevin Ny

WHAT MAKES A DECEDENT  A “HOSPITAL NOT BROUGHT IN” case?

As a reminder, the following cases qualify for HNBI case processing:

First and foremost: 1) Death occurred in a hospital setting. 2) Decedent has been positively identified. 3) Next of Kin has been notified, ALONG WITH the following possible scenarios:

  • Ground level fall with imaging diagnosis in hospital setting

  • Apparent natural death with no primary care physician to sign

  • Positive uTox with no admitting hospital specimens AND 24+ hours since admission

  • Vehicle vs. vehicle traffic collision AND 24+ hours since admission

  • Solo vehicle traffic collision AND 24+ hours since admission, no concerns for hit and run charges

These cases will then be released to the funeral home. If it is designated as a HNBI, the hospital should have a Medical Examiner case number.

Summary of the key changes of the HNBI workflow:

  • (M.E. Dept to) Improve information collected at time of report: require more robust information from the caller about death and incident details; confirm next of kin notification occurred; confirm the decedent was positively identified and the method of identification.

  • Assign daily a Medical Examiner Investigator to work on newly reported HNBI cases 

  • Improve Form 5 with adding questions related to Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and DPOA/Advanced Health Care Directive.

A new email address has been set up for mortuaries to send Form 5 and any other documentation related to HNBI cases: hospitalnotbroughtin@me.lacounty.gov

Mortuaries should continue emailing Form 5s for decedents who are stored at the Forensic Science Center and in custody of the Department to: form5@me.lacounty.gov

Inquiries related to Mortuary Signout cases (natural deaths at a residence with no primary care physician to certify) email to: mortuarysignouts@me.lacounty.gov

Inquiries by Phone: If funeral home directors have questions about HNBI cases, they should call: 323-343-0714, open 24 hours/day. Select 1 for English; select 7 for Investigations; select 3 for all other questions. They should request to speak to the investigator assigned to “Hospital Not Brought In” cases for the day.

 Please be sure to share this information with those in your company who work with the Medical Examiner regarding death certificates and/or decedent status.

Thank you!

Kevin Ny
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