Medical Certifiers

Medical Certifiers

A Medical Certifier is responsible for completing the medical certification of death section of a death record.

• A person required to file a death certificate or fetal death certificate shall obtain the required medical certification from an attending physician if the death occurred under medical attendance for the care and treatment of the condition or disease process that contributed to the death.  [HSC§193.005(a)]
•  The attending physician shall complete the medical certification not later than five days after receiving the death certificate. [HSC§193.005(b)]

(E)    A person conducting an inquest required by Chapter 49, Code of Criminal Procedure, shall:

(1)  complete the medical certification not later than five days after receiving the death or fetal death certificate;  and

(2)  state on the medical certification the disease that caused the death or, if the death was from external causes, the means of death and whether the death was probably accidental, suicidal, or homicidal, and any other information required by the state registrar to properly classify the death. [HSC§193.005(e)]