Michael K.

Boyko
Mortuary Manager
Funeral Director
Embalmer
Hillside Memorial Park & Mortuary
 I. Certification
 II. Permits
 III. Do’s and Don’ts
 EDRS System governed by local health
departments and California Health
Department.
 An online system allowing for FDs, Doctors,
Coroners, & Hospitals to communicate with
Health Registrars achieving quicker
certifications with less leg work.
 Faster Registration Process of Death
Certificates
 Permit generation in Mortuary
 Approved methods for remote attestation by
medical certifiers (no more document running)
 Immediate ID & SSN verification
 Electronic processing of DC amendments
 Official source of information about a
deceased person
 Fourteenth Century in England
 Death Certificates today are both legal and
statistical documents.
 Contains date, location, vital statistics, and
causes of death
 DISPOSITION PERMIT: Document which
outlines how human remains will be disposed
of.

 For example: Mr. Stein is to be buried at

Hillside Memorial Park - the disposition permit
for his remains should read “Burial at Hillside
Memorial Park.”
 A disposition permit is required to proceed
with the disposition of human remains, and the
document must remain on file with the health
department/registrar of vital records.
 In order to receive this disposition permit a
correct certified death certificate must be filed.
 Most mortuaries will have a process for
making arrangements when families will
deliver the necessary vital statistical
information to the mortuary for the death
certificate. This information can be given to
the family more quickly if a pre-need file was
established by the deceased.
 Signing by NOK attests to correctness of this
legal document.
 The mortuary creates a file in EDRS for the
deceased. Name, DOB, and SS# is
automatically validated by the state’s system.
 NOTE: Errors in name spelling, legal name,
how a name is registered with government
agencies, wrong date of birth, or wrong SS#
can hold up death certification process.
 Has the deceased seen a  Is the death following a
physician within the last surgery or medical
20 days? intervention?
 Questionable  Has there been a recent
circumstances fall of any type?
surrounding death?
 Car Accident?
 Suicide?
 Pills/Medications?
 If “yes” to any of these  Sign-Out Case vs. Full
questions the Mortuary Investigation
must report this case to  There is not always an
the Coroner. Autopsy just because the
 Hours? Days??? Coroner is called.
 A case number must be  Your families will be
issued and then given a contact number
everything is at the to call an investigator
Coroner’s discretion with questions.
 Rules on causes vary from Registrar to
Registrar. The Health Department that is
certifying the certificate must accept the
Physicians causes of Death.
 The Mortuary has an extended dialogue with
the doctor as to the cause of death. Usually
there is a faxing process between Mort & Phys
that takes a few hours.
 The causes the Physician provides the
mortuary are then submitted to the registrar for
approval.
 At this time the Registrar may kick back the
certificate for misspelling, or technical errors
regarding Causes, Case #’s etc
 Once these causes are approved the Mortuary
then turns to the Physician to sign the legal
certificate (SEAL).
 Physician can sign the EDRS form that is
faxed to them from the database or do a remote
attestation declaring the death verbally by
phone.
 Example: Beijing Certification Last Week
 Most certifications are done via signing the
faxed Death Certificate document from EDRS.
Once signed the doctor faxes this form back to
EDRS.
 *Timing here is of the essence. Physicians can
neglect signing this form for a variety of
reasons.
 Physicians Portion Completed
 All information on the DC is entered and
double check by the Mortuary. It is now
officially submitted to the local health registrar
for permitting.
 Once the Health Registrar approves the
certificate EDRS allows for disposition permits
to be generated from the system.
 Burial May Take Place
 Shipping of Remains Can Happen
 Cremation Can Take Place
 If the death becomes a Coroner’s case please
do not call the Coroner’s Office to request
release of the remains under the grounds of
religious law.
 Mortuaries have an active working relationship
with the coroner’s office (but there are no
favorites) and the rule is first come first serve.
 Do not set service times or dates for services
without speaking to your Mortuary to assure
availability. Remember just because there is a
date in mind doesn’t mean that permits can be
secured in time.
 EDRS can not process Fetal Deaths. Cases
involving fetals deaths and babies must still be
physically brought to the physician for
signature and to the registrar in person for
formal certification and permitting. Thus,
situations involving babies may take longer.
 NO COMPUTER INVOLVMENT
 Impact on Jewish Community

 Timing

 Law of the Land vs. Religious Law

 Standard Case vs. Coroner’s Case

 Shipping
 Please remind your families to stay calm and
the mortuaries are on their side. We
understand the goal is for expeditious burials
and shipping.