La. Admin. Code tit. 48 § I-701

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section I-701 - Facility Responsibility

A. It is the policy of the Department of Health and Human Resources that Superintendents of all DHHR hospitals and residential facilities adhere to R.S. 9:1551; 17:2274, 2275; regarding the disposition of a body unclaimed by relative or friends.

1. Under the language of R.S. 17:2274(A), the DHHR institution in which the deceased lived prior to death would temporarily retain the custody of the unclaimed body. If the decedent had no known assets or property of sufficient value to defray the expenses of burial and burial must be at public expense, the superintendents of such facilities shall first notify the department's Office of Hospitals, Bureau of Anatomical Services that they have custody of an unclaimed body and that there are no legal impediments to releasing the body. This notice shall be given to the Bureau of Anatomical Services (hereafter referred to as BAS), no later than 36 hours after the death of the patient.

B. For purposes of convenience and economy of transportation, the state has been subdivided into two regions by a line drawn diagonally across the state just southeast of Monroe, Alexandria and Lake Charles. Institutions in the southeast region (including New Orleans-Jefferson, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, etc.) may contact the Bureau of Anatomical Services at the main office in New Orleans [AC:(504) 568-4012, or LINC 621-4012] (24 hour service). Those institutions in the northwest region (including Shreveport, Bossier City, Monroe, Ruston, Alexandria, Lake Charles, etc.) may contact the BAS for the purpose of reporting a body by calling the LSU Shreveport Medical School Security Office [AC:(318) 226-3369] (24 hour service).

C. When contacting the BAS, the following information should be made available:

1. name;

2. age;

3. sex;

4. race;

4. cause of death;

5. signed copy of death certificate; and

6. burial transit permit.

La. Admin. Code tit. 48, § I-701

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Human Resources, Office of the Secretary, LR 13:246 (April 1987).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 9:1551, 17:2274, 17:2275.