RSA 5-C:63 · Initiation of the Death Record

5-C:63 Initiation of the Death Record. –

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I.

When a death occurs in a hospital or health care facility and the death is not reported to the medical examiner pursuant to RSA 611-B:12, the person in charge of such facility, or his or her designated representative, shall provide the funeral director, next of kin, or designated agent with: a partially completed death record and the name and address the physician, APRN, or physician associate who will be responsible for supplying the cause of death information before the body is removed.

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II.

The funeral director, next of kin, or designated agent shall, pursuant to RSA 290:12, leave with the hospital or health care facility, or with the person from whom the body is received, a receipt showing the name of the decedent, the name and license number of the funeral director, if applicable, the name and address of the person to whom the body is released, and the date and hour of removal from the facility.

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III.

No hospital or other health care facility shall give a partially completed death record which includes medical certification or which is awaiting medical certification to anyone other than a funeral director, next of kin, or designated agent.

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IV.

When a death occurs some place other than an institution, the funeral director, next of kin, or designated agent, who first assumes custody of the dead body, shall initiate the death record if the attending physician, APRN, or physician associate has not done so.

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V.

The funeral director, next of kin, or designated agent shall obtain the information on the deceased for completion of the death record from the next of kin or the best qualified person or source available and shall obtain the medical certification from the attending physician, APRN, or physician associate or medical examiner if not already provided.

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VI.

If additional information becomes known regarding the death, an additional death record marked "supplemental" shall be sent to the division and shall include information listed in RSA 5-C:62, VI.

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VII.

Upon receipt and inspection of a paper death certificate the state registrar shall return an incomplete certificate to the appropriate persons for completion or verify that the certificate is complete by signing and dating the certificate.

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VIII.

The reverse side of the death certificate shall contain a notice to the physician, APRN, or physician associate regarding the release of a body in accordance with RSA 290:2-a, the necessity of a pronouncement in accordance with RSA 290:1-b and indication of who can provide alternate signatures in the absence of the attending physician, APRN, or physician associate, in accordance with RSA 290:1-b. The reverse side of the certificate shall also contain a reference to those categories of death that fall under the jurisdiction of the medical examiner as specified in RSA 611-B:11.

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IX.

If the date of death is unknown, it shall be determined by approximation.

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X.

When completing information regarding the decedent's marital status and spouse, the funeral director shall only record the name of a surviving or deceased spouse of the decedent.

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XI.

In the case of an infant death when the child is less than one year of age and the mother is not married, the name of the father shall not be provided unless the father's name appears on the birth record or an affidavit of paternity has been executed relating to both the birth and death certificate of the child. The name of the child on the death record shall be the same as the name of the child as shown on the child's birth record. Source. 2005, 268:1. 2006, 141:11. 2007, 215:7; 324:3, 4. 2009, 54:4, eff. July 21, 2009. 2015, 140:7, eff. Jan. 1, 2016. 2025, 105:1, eff. June 17, 2025.

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