Complete Story
 

04/05/2020

Governor Issues Stay-At-Home Order Funeral Home Staff Excluded

Order Issued to Funeral Directors, Physicians To Speed COVID-19 Death Reporting

Last evening, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon issued an Emergency Order to speed death registration of COVID-19 deaths.
 
Under the Order, a physician medical certifier, who knows or suspects that a deceased individual was infected with COVID-19, must, “endeavor to promptly convey this information to the funeral director or the funeral director’s authorized agent."
 
The funeral director is then required to initiate a death record in the Electronic Death Registration System, and submit the medical certification to the physician within 24 hours of becoming aware that the death resulted, or is suspected to have resulted from COVID-19 infection.  The funeral director is then required to file the death record with the local registrar either within 48 hours after becoming aware that the death resulted, or is suspected to have resulted, from COVID-19, or within 72 hours of the death, whichever is earlier.
 
The Order states that, “physicians who receive a death record for medical certification where the death resulted, or is suspected to have resulted, from COVID-19 must endeavor to certify the death record within 24 hours of receipt.”  Furthermore, “physicians, particularly medical examiners and hospitalists, are strongly encouraged to use,” EDRS.
 
The Order is in effect immediately, and is silent on what ramifications, if any, result from failure to meet the required deadlines.
 
Attached below is a copy of Director Gordon’s Order, along with the State Emergency Operations Center’s press release announcing it.

Director Gordons Order

State Emergency Operations Centers press release

Printer-Friendly Version