Pritt et al developed a scale for grading the errors made by clinicians when completing a death certificate. This can help identify the severity of problems and can help direct educational interventions. The authors are from the University of Vermont and the Office of the Medical Examiner for Vermont in Burlington.
Finding
Grade
no errors (certificate complete and error free)
0
incomplete (1 or more boxes not checked, time frame not completed, printed name or address of physician missing, blanks)
Ia
boxes filled in that should not have been
Ia
unacceptable abbreviations used
Ib
illegible
Ib
diagnoses not listed in a logical order; nonsensical
Ic
minor comorbidities contributing to death not listed
II
failure to completely specify a known clinical diagnosis
II
major comorbidities contributing to death not listed
III
major components of diagnosis (immediate or intermediate cause) not listed
III
no acceptable (none or unacceptable) underlying cause of death listed
IVa
wrong cause of death listed
IVb
wrong manner of death listed
IVb
where:
• Grade I and II errors are minor. Grade III errors are major. Grade IV errors are severe.
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