Quality of death certificate completion by physicians in qualyopia, Benha

ABSTRACT

All physicians should be able to record the medical cause of death in a consequence order and issue death certificate according to the international form recommended by World Health Organization. In Egypt, most clinicians continue to list the cause of death as "cardiac arrest" or "cardiopulmonary arrest" on death certificate and the government organization accept them as causes of death. The forensic significance of death certificate may not become apparent until many weeks or months later. To evaluate the quality of death certificates issued in Qualyopia, Benha by determining whether any of the items missed or written wrongly or in a vague manner. Data of randomly chosen 200 death certificates issued within the year 2006 in Benha health offices was gathered to review the deceased personal data, medical cause of death, place, date and time of death, name and signature of the certifying physician. On reviewing a total of 200 issued death certificates, the full name, gender, age and residence of the deceased and the date of death were written in all certificates [100%], while the place of death were omitted in a small number of certificates [5%]. There was a vague indication of the medical cause of death in 12%, a correct cause of death with improper sequencing in 49%, and the mode presented as the cause of death in 24% and in 15%, the cause of death was absent The time of death was the commonest omission from death certificates [67%]. There is no place for the name and signature of the certifying physician in the certificates, only the name and signature of the certifying employees. The certifying physicians sign only in death declarations. Death certificates revealed serious deficiencies as regards cause and time of death; this can bring discredit on doctors, the profession as a whole and can also seriously prejudice the legal proceedings. As accurate issuing of death certificates should full within the capabilities of all doctors, aperiodic workshop about how to issue death certificate properly was recommended as well as establishment of quality control program before issuing death certificate