Electronic death certificate reporting system helps NC identify additional 1,146 COVID deaths
Electronic access to death certificate data is helping the state identify and report COVID-19 related deaths more quickly, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
Previously, COVID-19 deaths reported to the state came solely from paper death certificates sent by physicians, hospitals or local health departments. But a new electronic reporting system helped the NCDHHS identify 1,146 additional COVID-19 related deaths between Jan. 1 and March 31, the state announced Tuesday.
The additional deaths will be added to the state's dashboard, bringing North Carolina's pandemic death toll to more than 24,000 people.
According to the state, even with the increased total, N.C. has the lowest per capita rates of COVID-19 deaths in the Southeast and ranks among the lowest in the nation.
Electronic reporting began on Jan. 1, when the N.C. Database Application for Vital Events began accepting death certificate data electronically. That data will be added to the data in the state's reporting system each month, the state said.
Before January, North Carolina was one of only two states still relying on paper death certificates. The improved accuracy will eliminate the need for physical handling and transfer of paper certificates and improve the process time, which could take up to five months.
The state estimates that death certificate registration time will decrease from several months to anywhere from 5 to 10 days with the new electronic system.
