The Latin expression mortui vivos docent , meaning the dead teach the living, has historically been linked to autopsy practices; however, its significance also pertains to modern mortality review systems. Hospital mortality audits constitute a systematic method for deriving insights from fatalities to enhance patient care. The objective of this review was to examine the historical development, core concepts, and practical conduct of hospital mortality audits, with emphasis on their role in quality improvement and patient safety. This review draws on historical sources, quality-of-care frameworks, and guidance from international health organisations to describe the development and current practice of mortality audits in healthcare settings using internet and manual searches of the reference lists for framing a pragmatic approach towards the principles of mortality audits. The mortality audit has progressed from first outcome assessments by Nightingale and Codman into a systematic element of clinical governance. Effective audits focus on what could have been avoided and what in the system made the outcome more likely, then turn those lessons into specific changes. Key steps include setting a clear scope, using a multidisciplinary review team, reviewing cases in a consistent way, analysing contributing causes, and closing the loop by checking that actions were implemented and had an effect. Hospital mortality audits implement the notion of mortui vivos docent by transforming fatalities into educational opportunities. These audits, conducted within a confidential framework, improve patient safety, accountability, and the quality of care.
Vinod Kumar Viswanathan (Thu,) studied this question.