TX Electronic Death Registration Texas Department of State

TX Electronic Death Registration Texas Department of State Health Services Vital Statistics Unit Albert Rivera Manager, Field Services

Agenda Background TER Technical Reminders Burial Transit Permits Disinterment Permits Fetal Death Registration

A Death Record is Important because: It is a permanent legal record of the fact of death Considered as prima facie evidence of a death It is crucial for the decedent’s family Used to apply for insurance benefits; settlement of pension claims; transfer of title of real and personal property; etc. Used for a variety of medical and health-related research efforts

Use of Death Records - Global

Uses of Cause of Death Information

Why Use TER? Complies with the law Instant Social Security verification process Reduces fraud and duplicate registrations Secure registration system Edit and cross-checks reduce errors and amendments A faster, more efficient, more accurate process

TER Improves Timeliness 2007 = over 40 days 2012 = over 11 days 2012

The Number of all Electronic Records is Increasing In 2007, only 3. 5% of records were totally electronic. In 2012, 93. 57% of records were totally electronic 2012 As of June 2012 ytd 93% of records were totally electronic 2012

Responsibilities of Funeral Director Initiate death record in TER to transmit Report of Death within 24 hours [TAC § 181. 2] Obtain personal information from person most qualified to furnish information [HSC § 193. 004] Notify JP or ME office when appropriate All Death Certificates MUST be filed within 10 days of the date of death [HSC § 193. 003(a)] It doesn’t matter if the COD is Pending…

Who is suppose to get the information for the death certificate? The person required to file a death certificate shall obtain the required personal information from a competent person with knowledge of the facts. [HSC 193. 004]

Who Should Provide the Personal Information (Demographic)? 1. the person designated in a written instrument signed by the decedent; 2. the decedent's surviving spouse; 3. any one of the decedent's surviving adult children; 4. either one of the decedent's surviving parents; 5. any one of the decedent's surviving adult siblings; or any adult person in the next degree of kinship in the order named by law to inherit the estate of the decedent. 6. [HSC 711. 002]

Notifying JP or ME Office A body is found and the cause and circumstances of death are unknown. Death is believed to be attributed to unnatural or unknown causes. Death occurred in a correctional institute. Death occurred within 24 hours of admission to a hospital. Death occurred without medical attendance. Decedent is under six years of age. Physician is unable or unwilling to sign the death certificate.

Physicians can only certify natural deaths

Statutory Requirements Texas Health & Safety Code 193. 002 PERSON REQUIRED TO FILE. The person in charge of interment or in charge of removal of a body from a registration district for disposition shall: (1) obtain and file the death certificate or fetal death certificate; (2) enter on the certificate the information relating to disposition of the body; (3) sign the certificate; and (4) file the certificate electronically as specified by the state registrar.

Statutory Requirements Texas Health & Safety Code Sec 193. 005(h) PERSONAL INFORMATION (h) The person completing the medical certification shall submit the information and attest to its validity using an electronic process approved by the state registrar.

Time Requirements

Legislative changes The 82 nd Texas Legislative Session

Completing Date Fields HB 2940 changed how dates will be entered on death and fetal death certificates: Forms will specify a “Month/Day/ Year” order of entering dates The month must be spelled out Vital Statistics Unit is charged to revise the VS-113 form and modify the TER software to incorporate the changes Starting by January 1, 2012

Upcoming TER Updates Changes that will be released during the next TER update

New Enhancements Automatic Password Reset Automatic PIN number Reset Notification to Funeral Home if Medical Certifier Changes decedent name JP/ME inquest cases. Enhancements to Medical Amendment Process

New Automatic Password Reset Security Question

When the new enhancements are put in place you will see a new log in screen.

When you enter your user id and password into TER you, a window will appear asking you to select and enter two security questions

Then continue with the log in.

Enter your user ID and select “Reset Password”

Reset PIN Number

TER Technical reminders • • Names Designating Medical Certifiers Designating Local Registrars Add on the Fly Demographic Verification Decertifying Death Certificate Ordering Information (DCOA)

Entering Names 26 letters of alphabet without diacritical marks • Spaces, hyphens, apostrophes OK Name automatically converts to all caps REMINDER: Have informants sign the Death Facts Verification form so that the informant knows exactly what is going to be on the death certificate

TER Technical reminders • Designating Medical Certifiers

Select ‘Designate Medical Certifier’ or click the icon.

The ‘Medical Participating’ toggle will indicate if a medical certifier is found to be participating.

TER Technical reminders • Designating Local Registrars

Verify or Designate a ‘Local Registrar’.

Designate a local registrar office when the ‘Local Registrar’ field is not complete. Under ‘Registration’, click ‘Designate Local Registrar’ or click on icon.

TER Technical reminders • Add-On-The-Fly

What if my option isn’t listed? Add-On-The-Fly! Go down to the bottom of the list of cities for the and Select (Add New)

Adding a Precinct Enter the city and/or precinct and select Save New AOF Location

Adding a Precinct New City will be entered into location

TER Technical reminders • Demographic Verification

Select ‘Demographic Verification’ or icon.

Select ‘Preview’ or ‘Verify’ to generate and review the information.

Select the Print Button then close this window.

Then Select Verify

Your “Old Pin” is a your temporary pin given to you by your local TER Administrator.

Then Select Verify again

Enter your PIN number.

TER Technical reminders • Decertifying

Decertifying

TER Technical reminders • Death Certificate Ordering Information (DCOA)

Click the DCOA icon. Note that both the local registrar and medical certifier are participating in TER. The record is now required to be processed electronically and certified copies can be ordered.

Complete the DCOA order information.

Note the ‘DCOA Response’ and exit.

Burial Transit Permits When Burial Transit Permits are Required

Texas Administrative Code § 181. 2(b) Assuming Custody of Body (b) If a dead body or fetus is to be removed from this state, transported by common carrier within this state, or cremated, the funeral director, or person acting as such, shall obtain a burial-transit permit from the local registrar where the death certificate is or will be filed, or from the state registrar electronically through a Bureau of Vital Statistics electronic death registration system. The registrar shall not issue a burial-transit permit until a certificate of death, completed in so far as possible, has been presented

TX Health and Safety Code § 193. 008 BURIAL-TRANSIT PERMIT. (a) A burial-transit permit issued under the law and rules of a place outside of this state in which a death or fetal death occurred authorizes the transportation of the body in this state. A cemetery or crematory shall accept the permit as authorization for burial, cremation, or other disposal of the body in this state.

Texas Administrative Code § 181. 3(c) Transportation of Dead Bodies (c) Duties of transportation companies. No transportation company shall accept any body for shipment until it has been ascertained that a properly completed burial-transit permit accompanies the body.

Disinterment Permits When Disinterment Permits are Required

Is a Disinterment Permit needed? Texas Administrative Code § 181. 6 Disinterment (a) remains may not be removed from a cemetery except on written order [a Disinterment Permit] of the state registrar or the state registrar's designee. (d) A disinterment permit shall not be required if a body is to be disinterred and reinterred in the same cemetery. (e) A disinterment permit shall not be required to remove cremains. (f) Cremation is considered to be a final disposition of remains.

Whose signature do you need? Health and Safety Code 711. 004 cemetery organization operating the cemetery current plot owner or owners one of the following persons, in the priority listed: (1) the decedent's surviving spouse; (2) the decedent's surviving adult children; (3) the decedent's surviving parents; (4) the decedent's adult siblings; or (5) the adult person in the next degree of kinship in the order named by law to inherit the estate of the decedent.

Fetal death registration Fetal Death Registration and Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth

Fetal Death vs. Life Birth TAC 181. 1 (11) Fetal death (stillbirth)--Death prior to the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of pregnancy; the death is indicated by the fact that after such separation, the fetus does not breathe or show any other evidence of life such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles. TAC 181. 1 (18) Live birth--The complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of pregnancy, which, after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached; each product of such a birth is considered live born.

Filing a Fetal Death Certificate A certificate of fetal death shall be filed for any fetus weighing 350 grams or more, or if the weight is unknown, a fetus aged 20 weeks or more as calculated from the start date of the last normal menstrual period to the date of delivery. Fetal Death certificates need to be filed within 5 days. [TAC 181. 7]

Resources TER Help Desk 1 -888 -963 -7111 Ext 3490 help-TER@dshs. state. tx. us TER Online Training http: //texasvsu-ed. org VSU http: //texasvsu. org