DEATH CERTIFICATE BY PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT
What changed between versions
Physician assistants are now explicitly authorized to complete and sign death certificates alongside physicians and nurse practitioners.
Associate physicians, associate nurse practitioners, and associate physician assistants can complete death certifications with approval from their supervising professionals.
Chief medical officers of institutions and physicians who performed autopsies can now certify deaths under specific conditions.
Registered nurses in nursing homes and hospices can pronounce death for residents, and hospital registered nurses can pronounce death for patients.
New procedures require deaths without medical attendance or occurring more than 365 days after last medical contact to be referred to the state medical investigator.
When physicians, physician assistants, or nurse practitioners cannot determine cause of death from medical history, cases must be referred to the state medical investigator.
Amended death certificates based on anatomical observations must be filed within 30 days of autopsy completion.
New definitions were added for 'hospital', 'nurse practitioner', and 'nursing home' to clarify which facilities and personnel are covered under the act.
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