Loss of a Loved One

We at Premier Health offer our deepest sympathies for your loss. When a loved one dies during a hospital stay, you may not know what comes next. This guide helps answer common questions as you make important choices. We hope this helps you and your family during this difficult time.

After Your Loved One Dies

You may want to contact family members, friends, or a spiritual leader. They can support you and help you make decisions.

Ohio law says that if your loved one named a person in writing to handle funeral plans, that person can move forward. If they did not name someone, the legal next of kin may make the plans.

The first choice is between burial and cremation. You may want to talk this over with family, friends, or a spiritual leader. Burial often costs more, while cremation usually costs less.

A member of the care team will ask you which funeral home or cremation facility you have chosen. The care team will call the funeral home or facility first. You will also need to talk to the funeral director about the next steps so they can make plans to care for your loved one.

If you have not chosen a funeral home or facility, your loved one will stay in the hospital morgue. The goal is to move your loved one to the funeral home or facility within 24 to 48 hours. Please call the Office of Decedent Affairs at (937) 208-4059(937) 208-4059 when you have chosen a funeral home or facility.

If paying for a funeral or cremation is a hardship, call the Office of Decedent Affairs at (937) 208-4059(937) 208-4059.

Anyone may offer to help pay funeral costs. However, paying does not give that person the right to make funeral choices. Ohio law explains who can make these choices.

The coroner will decide if they need to examine your loved one. The coroner will take your loved one to the coroner’s office in the same county as the hospital.

Premier Health does not perform autopsies. We work with the Ohio State University (OSU) Wexner Medical Center Regional Autopsy Center to perform autopsies for those 18 and older. If your family asks for an autopsy, a member of the care team can help.

Legal authority, like guardianship, health care power of attorney, and durable power of attorney, ends at the time of death. Someone must give consent for an autopsy. If your loved one did not name a person in writing, Ohio law lists who can give consent in this order:

  • Surviving spouse
  • Children
  • Parents
  • Brothers and sisters
  • Grandparents
  • Grandchildren

For more information, contact the OSU Wexner Medical Center Regional Autopsy Center.

Hospitals must report all deaths to their organ donation organization. A representative may contact you to ask about organ, tissue, or eye donation.

If your loved one planned to donate their whole body, please tell a member of the care team. Your loved one will have a donor card from the donor program.

The funeral director files the death certificate. You can get copies of the death certificate through the funeral home. You can also request copies from the County Clerk of Courts in the county where your loved one lived.

After you leave Premier Health, we are not responsible for items left behind. The hospital Department of Public Safety will hold any valuable items left behind. Other personal items will go with your loved one to the morgue or funeral home.

Your loved one’s selected representative, executor, or next of kin may claim these items. They must show a valid ID.

Premier Health offers spiritual care and social work support during this difficult time. We provide keepsakes such as photos, footprints, molds, crib cards, and baby bands to honor your baby’s memory.

A member of your care team will ask which funeral home or cremation facility you have chosen. The care team will call the funeral home or facility first. You will also need to talk to the funeral director about what comes next. If you do not know yet, contact the Office of Decedent Affairs at (937) 208-4059(937) 208-4059 after you decide. Your baby will remain in the hospital morgue until then. The goal is transfer within 24 to 48 hours.

Premier Health also offers cremation services in these cases. Please ask a member of your care team for details.

Premier Health Contact Information

Premier Health Office of Decedent Affairs: (937) 208-4059(937) 208-4059

Atrium Medical Center: (513) 974-2111(513) 974-2111


Miami Valley Hospital: (937) 208-8000(937) 208-8000
Miami Valley Hospital North: (937) 734-6784(937) 734-6784
Miami Valley Hospital South: (937) 438-‑2400(937) 438-2400
Upper Valley Medical Center: (937) 440-4000(937) 440-4000

You can call any hospital number 24 hours a day and ask for:

  1. Billing: questions about your loved one’s hospital bills
  2. Medical Records: copies of your loved one’s medical records
  3. Patient Relations: concerns or compliments about your loved one’s care
  4. Public Safety: your loved one’s personal belongings
  5. Spiritual Care: emotional or spiritual support