Affiliations: Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, USA | Florida State University College of Law, Tallahassee, FL, USA | Director, Center for Innovative Collaboration in Medicine and Law, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA | Professor, Department of Geriatrics, FSU College of Medicine, Courtesy Professor, FSU College of Law, Tallahassee, FL, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Marshall B. Kapp, 1115 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4300, USA. Tel.: +850 645 9260; Fax: +850 645 8441; E-mail: Marshall.kapp@med.fsu.edu
Abstract: This article discusses the medical-legal aspects of death certification in Florida long-term care settings based on an examination of relevant Florida laws and federal guidelines and a comparison of those laws and guidelines to actual medical practice. A review of the health care literature and Florida law, supplemented by interviews with key informants, supports the conclusion that Florida statutes provide a clear protocol for efficient death certification, but do not ensure the accuracy of death certificates. The death certification process in Florida long term care settings could be improved through increased physician training, the development of quality controls, and the expanded use of electronic patient medical records.
Keywords: Death certificates, long-term care, forensic, legal, vital records
