What document summarizes a decedent's course of stay in the hospital and may include the death pronouncement?

The discharge summary is a comprehensive document that outlines a patient’s course of treatment during their hospital stay. It typically includes vital information such as diagnoses, treatments provided, responses to treatments, and recommendations for follow-up care or additional investigations if necessary. In cases where a patient has died during hospitalization, the discharge summary may also include the circumstances surrounding the death, including the death pronouncement itself.

In contrast, a death certificate is an official document declaring the cause and manner of death, but it does not summarize the patient's entire hospital stay. An autopsy report provides detailed findings from an examination after death but does not encompass the full course of treatment the patient received. A medical history details a patient's past health records prior to a hospital admission and does not reflect their hospital course or the events leading up to their death. Thus, the discharge summary is the most fitting choice for summarizing a decedent’s experience in the hospital along with details pertaining to the death.