Hospital to Funeral Home Hand-Off of the Decedent Patient with a Viral Hemorrhagic Fever

Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHF), such as those caused by ebolavirus and Marburgvirus, present a global health threat due to their high fatality rates and potential for rapid transmission. We aim to develop a Standard Operational Plan (SOP) for the safe handoff transfer of highly infectious decedents from hospitals to funeral homes. This addresses the gap in existing protocols to ensure infection control and public health safety.

Recent research highlights the necessity of infection prevention in handling the bodies of highly infectious decedents. The 2014–2015 Ebola outbreak underscored the role of funeral homes practices and hospitals handoff transfer procedure in disease transmission. However, a standardized handoff process between hospitals and funeral homes remains undeveloped.

Developing a SOP involved collaboration between healthcare professionals, funeral homes, and state health departments. Key findings include the preference for cremation for highly infectious decedents, removal of jewelry before hospital admission, and the use of decedent lifts to ensure safe handling. The SOP emphasizes collaboration and adherence to updated CDC and NETEC guidelines. This SOP is a model for other healthcare facilities, promoting public health safety and infection control during the handoff process of highly infectious decedents.