Dead on arrival

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Dead on arrival (DOA), also dead in the field, brought in dead (BID), or dead right there (DRT) are terms which indicate that a patient was found to be already clinically dead upon the arrival of professional medical assistance, often in the form of first responders such as emergency medical technicians, paramedics, firefighters, or police.^[1]

In some jurisdictions, first responders must consult verbally with a physician before officially pronouncing a patient deceased, but once cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is initiated, it must be continued until a physician can pronounce the patient dead. Dead on arrival can also mean that a person is said by a doctor to be dead upon their arrival at a hospital, emergency room, clinic, or ward. A person can be pronounced dead on arrival if cardiopulmonary resuscitation or mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is found to be futile.