The clinical advice resource is a growing suite of blog posts, advice sheets and resources aimed at helping Pinnacle practices provide high quality clinical care.
Each month GPs, nurse practitioners and hospital doctors complete about 2,300 Medical Certificates of Cause of Death and Cremation Certificates.
There is still the option to use paper forms, but the majority of providers are using the online Death Documents service. Using the secure online process reduces delays for whānau, and is more convenient for the clinician and funeral directors. allowing them to progress the funeral arrangements faster for the family.
All you need to get started is a RealMe login (just a username and password) and your NZMC / NZNC council number or CPN. If you don't already have a RealMe login, you can create one as you register for Death Documents in less than 5 minutes.
Practitioners with a verified RealMe (where you've had your photo taken online or at a post shop to confirm your RealMe identity) can also draw down patient information from the NHI database to pre-populate the forms.
Practitioners using this additional feature are reporting it takes less time to complete the forms on line than it did on paper, with less errors.
Dates of death can be assigned to NHI records much faster, reducing the chance of deceased people being invited to attend health services.
Features are being added continuously and death certification guidance on the Ministry of Health website has been refreshed.
No physical examination required (low-risk settings): Practitioners (medical or nurse) no longer need to physically examine and identify a body for cremation if the death occurs in age-related residential care or specialist palliative care.
New dedicated form (Form BA): A new dedicated Form BA applies to deaths in the low-risk settings mentioned above. Practitioners rely on advice from another health professional (usually a registered nurse) on-site to verify the identity and natural cause of death.
Updated cremation forms: The old Form AB has been replaced, and forms now feature clearer terminology regarding the presence of pacemakers or battery-powered devices.
Centralised digital platform: The Death Documents online service streamlines certification by auto-filling duplicate information, notifying funeral directors immediately, and automatically submitting a Preliminary Notice of Death to Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM).
We have discussed with the Medical Protection Society and RNZCGP what the definition of “specialist palliative care” means.
People with the FRNZCGP qualification have undertaken specialist training, including aspects of palliative care, and in the situation of an expected death in the community of someone at the end stage of a terminal illness , we believe this meets the requirements of a low risk setting, where no physical examination is required to complete a cremation form.
Read the latest clinical updates for Taranaki including the referral process to Rehab Taranaki for ACC concussion services via BPAC and an updated version of the database of NGOs operating within Taranaki.
Read morePinnacle is a recertification programme provider partner for designated registered nurse prescribers in community health (RNPCH).