When a loved one passes away in a hospital, there's usually a clear and respectful sequence of procedures - both medical and administrative - designed to ensure dignity for the deceased and support for the family.

Here's the general flow of what happens:

1. Confirmation of Death

   • A doctor will examine and officially certify death (recording the time of death).

   • If the cause of death is clear (eg., illness, old age), doctor will issue a Certificate of the Cause of Death (CCOD) on the spot.

   • If the cause is uncertain, sudden, or suspicious, the case is referred to the Police and Coroner, and the body is sent to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) for a post-mortem.

2. Informing the Family

   • The hospital nurse/doctor will inform the next-of-kin in a private space.

3. Documentation & Legal Matters

   1. If Cause of Death is Known:

      • Doctor issues CCOD directly to the family.

      • Family uses CCOD to register the death at:

        • Any Police Station

        • Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA)

        • Online via MyICA (within 24 hours)

        • ICA issues an official Death Certificate

   2. If Referred to Coroner:

      • Police will take statements from the family.

      • Body transferred to HSA Mortuary for post-mortem.

      • Once cause is determined, Coroner releases the body.

      • Family receives CCOD -> registers the death at ICA -> gets Death Certificate.

4. Care of the Body

   • Last offices / Post-mortem care - Nurses clean and prepare the body.

   • Personal belongings - Logged, packed and handed to the family or next of kin.

   • Transfer to mortuary - The body is respectfully moved to the hospital mortuary (usually for a few hours to a day.)

   • Family contacts a Funeral Director to arrange collection.

5. Funeral Arrangements

   • Funeral Director will: 

     • Collect the body from hospital mortuary or HSA

     • Arrange embalming or preparation 

     • Setup wake (home, void deck, funeral parlour, or other venue)
       

   • ICA's death registration is required before funeral arrangements can proceed.

6. Special Cases

   • If deceased was a registered donor under HOTA (Human Organ Transplant Act), the hospital's transplant coordinator will approach the family for consent and procedure.

   • Infectious disease protocols - Special handling is followed to prevent spread.

7. Support Services

   • Most hospitals in Singapore have Medical Social Workers to guide families through:

     • Death registration process

     • Funeral arrangement contacts

     • Financial assistance if needed

     • Emotional support / grief counselling