Abstract :
Introduction: Medical certification of cause of death (MCCD) may be employed in explaining trends and
differentials in overall mortality, indicating priorities for health action, and in the assessment and monitoring
of public health problems and programs. MCCD is compulsory as per the registration of Birth and Deaths
Act, 1969.
Objectives: (1) To assess the completeness and accuracy of MCCD. (2) To recommend necessary corrective
measures to improve completeness and accuracy of MCCD form.
Methodology: Record base review was carried out during October 2012 at Sir Takhtsinhji Hospital, Bhavnagar.
Medical record section of this hospital receives death certificates in two copies from all the departments.
After taking written permission from the superintendent of the hospital, all the certificates of death in
hospital deaths from 1st January 2012 to October 2012, which were kept in medical record section, were
assessed for completeness and accuracy of MCCD form as per guidelines of MCCD, Government of Gujarat.
Results: Accuracy was immediate cause, antecedent cause and underlying cause of death was only 20.07%,
26.76% and 28.87% of MCCD forms. Completeness of underlying cause of death was only in 47.99 forms.
Conclusion: This study revealed definite lacuna of accuracy and completeness in MCCD process of the hospital.
Keyword :
Assessment, Medical certification of cause of death, Medical College Hospital