– If they need anything from you at this time. For example, they may just want the patient’ s name and date of birth to save in a file for future cases, or they may want copies of pages 9-14 in this packet. They may have their own paperwork for you to complete.
– Anything else you need to be aware of regarding their process now and at time of death.
4. If you have arranged for mortuary service( e. g., funeral home, crematorium), inform them of the brain donation process.
• If the pathologist needs a space to perform the brain tissue procurement, you can inquire with the funeral service if there is the possibility of using their space. If so, inquire if they would charge an additional fee for utilization of their space. If necessary, put the funeral service and the pathologist in touch to discuss this process further.
• Explain that the brain tissue procurement must occur within 12 – 48 hours of death and that up until the procedure, the body must be kept in cold storage. Cold storage before brain tissue procurement may be needed if the pathologist is not available immediately. Inquire if there is a cost associated with this service.
• Additionally, explain that the person’ s body will need to be transported from the place of death to the place of the procedure( unless it is out of the mortuary service’ s space) and then to the mortuary service. Inquire if there is a cost associated with this transportation service.
• If you have prearranged for body donation, make sure to inform them as well.
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5. Inform involved partners, family members, and healthcare professionals of your wish to donate your brain and the process.
• If the person resides in a long-term care facility or is under hospice care, these teams should be informed of your decision and the process to coordinate brain donation.
• Confirm that involved family members and / or healthcare professionals have a copy or are aware of the location of the brain donation paperwork. This information is especially important for pages 13 and 14, which must travel with the body to be completed by the pathologist and shipped with the brain tissue.
• Confirm that everyone is aware of who needs to be contacted at the time of death.
6. At the time of death:
• Contact the prearranged person who will be performing the brain tissue procurement, and contact the funeral home / mortuary service or body donation program, if applicable. Put the two entities in touch with one another to coordinate transportation and services.
• If the patient dies in the hospital, be sure that the physician has placed an order in the patient’ s chart to have the tissue collected and sent to the Mayo Clinic Brain Bank.
• Important: Page 13( Consent Form for Autopsy & Donation) and page 14( Autopsy Information Form) must travel with the body. The Autopsy Information Form will be completed by the pathologist. Both documents will be shipped with the brain tissue.