Accuracy of death certification in two tertiary care military hospitals

• Published in: Military medicine Vol. 164; no. 12; pp. 897 - 899
• Main Authors: CINA, S. J, SELBY, D. M, CLARK, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Association of Military Surgeons 01.12.1999; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Armed forces; Atherosclerosis; Autopsies; Autopsy - standards; Autopsy - statistics & numerical data; Biological and medical sciences; Cancer; Cardiac arrest; Cardiovascular disease; Cause of Death; Certification; Coronary vessels; Death Certificates; Hemorrhage; Hospitals, Military; Humans; Leukemia; Medical sciences; Metastasis; Miscellaneous; Patients; Pneumonia; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Sepsis; State employees; United States; Vein & artery diseases; United States; North America; America; United States > US; Texas; Human; Evaluation; Accuracy; Death certificate; Diagnosis; Hospital; Public health; Military
• ISSN: 0026-4075; 1930-613X
• DOI: 10.1093/milmed/164.12.897

To determine the number and type of errors in death certifications, death certificates and corresponding postmortem examination results for 98 patients were analyzed at two tertiary care military hospitals. Of the 98 death certificates, errors were found in 36 (37%). The most prevalent type of error was the use of a nonspecific diagnosis as the underlying cause of death (22 of 36 errors, 61%). No errors were found in the listed manner of death. Given the high prevalence of errors found in death certification, recommendations are made to ensure the proper completion of death certificates. In addition, it is suggested that for patients who are to undergo postmortem examination, the immediate, any intermediate, and the underlying cause of death may be listed as "pending" so that the clinician can use the autopsy results in the completion of the death certificate.