This brief is an overview discussing the role of the electronic death registry in medicolegal death investigations and provides priority recommendations.
This publication describes the role of the electronic death registration system (EDRS) and provides priority recommendations. The EDRS allows death certificates in the United States to be completed electronically, which benefits medicolegal death investigators, hospitals, funeral directors, insurance companies, vital statistics, criminal justice, researchers, and family/estate planning. Medicolegal death investigation offices use electronic case management systems to store data collected for death certification. Connecting case management systems with EDRS allows for efficient, automated, and immediate transfer of information; reduces errors; and eliminates repeated data entry. Further benefits are gained by using the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR®, pronounced “fire”) standard to make connections.