Ala. Admin. Code r. 420-7-1-.10
Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024
Section 420-7-1-.10 - Medical Certification For Registration Of Death(1) As specified in Code of Ala. 1975, § 22-9A-14, the fact of death and the cause of death shall be provided by the appropriate medical certifier if the cause of death can be determined at the time of death.(2) To meet the 48-hour time limit specified in Code of Ala. 1975, § 22-9A-14, if the cause of death cannot be immediately determined, or if the cause of death information is incomplete, the medical certifier shall certify that the death did occur and shall indicate that the cause of death is "Pending" or provide the information about the cause of death that is known at the time he or she certifies to the fact of death. (a) Upon obtaining information to determine the cause of death, the medical certifier shall forward the cause of death to the State Registrar as provided in Code of Ala. 1975, § 22-9A-14(e), in a format that contains the same information as the medical certification portion of the current death certificate and provides sufficient information to identify the deceased individual.(b) In the absence of the original medical certifier, the cause of death information shall be determined and forwarded to the State Registrar by one of the following: 1. If the death occurred in an institution, the chief medical officer of the institution shall forward the cause of death to the State Registrar;2. If the medical certifier was a coroner, the current coroner in the same county where death occurred shall forward the cause of death to the State Registrar;3. If the medical certifier was a medical examiner, another medical examiner in the same office as the medical examiner who originally completed the medical certification shall forward the cause of death to the State Registrar;4. If the death occurred outside an institution and the original medical certifier was a physician in a group practice, another physician in that practice shall provide the cause of death to the State Registrar; or5. If none of the above situations apply, the State Registrar may accept information on the cause of death from another physician, medical examiner, or coroner who has knowledge of the facts of the cause of death provided a sufficient explanation can be made as to why the original medical certifier cannot provide the cause of death.(3) If, after completing the cause of death, the medical certifier wishes to provide supplemental information or make a change to the cause of death, that medical certifier shall forward the supplemental information or the changed cause of death to the State Registrar in a format that contains the same information as the medical certification portion of the current death certificate and provides sufficient information to identify the deceased individual. (a) Only the medical certifier who originally provided the cause of death information may make a change to the cause of death or provide supplemental information about the cause of death.(b) Notwithstanding subparagraph (a) above, if the original medical certifier is deceased or cannot be located, the State Registrar may accept information to supplement or change the cause of death from another physician, medical examiner, or coroner who has knowledge of the facts of the cause of death only in circumstances where a sufficient explanation can be made as to why the original medical certifier cannot provide the information. If a sufficient explanation cannot be provided to satisfy the State Registrar, a cause of death will not be supplemented or changed.(4) A death certificate that has information provided to complete, supplement, or change the cause of death is not considered to be an amended record. However, if the cause of death is shown when certified copies are issued, death certificates having supplemental information on the cause of death shall clearly show the original cause of death along with the supplemental information on the cause of death and appropriate information to indicate how the cause of death has been completed, supplemented, or changed.Ala. Admin. Code r. 420-7-1-.10
Filed June 21, 1990. Repealed and New Rule: Filed June 20, 2007; effective July 25, 2007.Author: Dorothy Harshbarger
Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 22-9A-2, 22-9A-6, 22-9A-14.