Accuracy of death certification in two tertiary care military hospitals

To determine the number and type of errors in death certifications, death c ertificates and corresponding postmortem examination results for 98 patient s were analyzed at two tertiary care military hospitals. Of the 98 death ce rtificates, 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 (2 2 of 36 errors, 61%). No errors were found in the listed manner of death. G iven the high prevalence of errors found in death certification, recommenda tions are made to ensure the proper completion of death certificates. In ad dition, it is suggested that for patients who are to undergo postmortem exa mination, the immediate, any intermediate, and the underlying cause of deat h may be listed as "pending" so that the clinician can use the autopsy resu lts in the completion of the death certificate.