Autopsy Service Death Certificate Review

Despite the importance of accurate death statistics for epidemiologic studies and public health initiatives, there remains a high frequency of errors in death certification. This deficiency can be addressed by the hospital autopsy service.

To improve the quality and accuracy of death certificates issued in the hospital and improve resident and clinician education by initiating a death certificate review process, performed by pathology residents while on their hospital autopsy rotation.

A resident reviewed all death certificates issued in the hospital daily through the state electronic death certificate filing system and correlated with the decedent's medical record. When errors were found, the resident filed an amended death certificate with the state. If applicable, the Office of the Medical Examiner was contacted to investigate. The original certifying physician was then contacted via email with an explanation for the amendment.

In 12 months, 590 death certificates were issued by the hospital. Eighty-eight of 590 (15%) were amended. Of those 88 amended, 41 (47%) were missing an underlying cause of death, 7 (8%) had an inaccurate cause of death, 41 (47%) failed to include relevant contributory causes of death, and 17 (19%) had major typographic errors. Of 88, 24 (27%) fell under the Office of the Medical Examiner's jurisdiction and were reported with a subsequent change in the manner of death in 23 of 88 cases (26%).

Death certificate review by the autopsy service improves the accuracy of death certification, impacts resident and clinician education, and serves as quality assurance for both the hospital and the state.