FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
Ø
Why was I sent this Cause of
Death Query Form?
Did
you read both sides of the query form?
If you still are unsure what to do, contact Dorene Harris at margaret.harris@arkansas.gov or call her at 501-661-2369
Ø
I don’t know the cause of
death. What do I do?
See Unknown and Uncertain
Causes of Death.
Ø
Do I have to complete the
death certificate at the time of death?
No! State law
gives all certifiers two work days in which to complete the cause of death
section and sign the death certificate.
No one can require the certifier to complete and sign the death
certificate at the time of death or at the death scene.
A death certificate is NOT required prior to removing
the body from the death scene. The
funeral home may remove the body if death has been pronounced and the physician
or appropriate official (county coroner or state medical examiner) has been
notified and permits removal of the body.
In fact, many funeral homes complete Items 1-22 of
the certificate before giving it to the certifier to complete and sign
the cause of death section.
It might be convenient and time-saving to complete
the cause of death and sign the certificate at the time of death. However, this often results in inadequate
reporting of the cause of death. The
most important medical information on the death certificate is to identify the underlying
cause of death. In many cases, the
underlying cause of death cannot be determined without reviewing the complete
medical history or record and/or contacting the deceased’s regular
physician.
Ø
Does the pronouncer also
have to complete the death certificate?
No. The person who pronounces death may not know
enough about the deceased’s medical history to adequately identify the causes
of death, especially the underlying cause of death. One person may pronounce death so the body
can be removed, then the cause of death may be completed and signed later by
the deceased’s regular physician or another person who is familiar with the
deceased’s medical history. See also FAQ, Do I
have to complete the death certificate at the time of death
Ø
Is there a list of
conditions that can be reported?
No. Such a
list would be very long! Also, such a
list would imply that terms not on the list should not be used on the death
certificate. The
There
are, however, lists of conditions that do not adequately identify the
underlying cause of death. These are not
forbidden terms, just terms that require further explanation. See also Terms
that don’t identify underlying cause of death.
Ø
You sent me a query form. Do
I need to submit a new certificate?
No. We’ve
already accepted and filed a certificate for that death. Add or correct information on the same query
form you were sent.
Ø
I reported an injury, but
checked manner of death “NATURAL.” Do I still have to fill in injury items 27 –
32?
Yes. Even if
you checked “natural”, you have still reported an injury as a cause of
death. Complete items 27-32, and
notify the coroner. See also What is an injury?
Ø
Do I have to complete all
four lines, A/B/C/D?
No. If you can
identify the complete sequence of conditions causing death in less lines,
that’s acceptable. If death occurred
directly from a single condition that had no
complications, the immediate
cause of death can also be the underlying cause of death. In that case, line (a) is the only line that
needs to be completed. Never leave line
(a) blank.
Ø
My computer won’t let me
report certain causes of death.
Are
you reporting causes of death using an ICD medical code-based computer program
or printout? If so, there’s a good
chance you are not reporting the conditions as specifically as you should. ICD codes are for insurance billing and
statistics, not reporting causes of death.
For example, specific causes of death such as “oat cell carcinoma of the
right lung” or “mesothelioma of the lungs” are lost when you report the cause
of death as the ICD code 162.9 title, “Malignant neoplasm of the bronchus and
lung.”
Ø
Where can I get cause of
death statistics or other health statistics?
See “Data and Research” at healthyarkansas.com