The Impact of Documentation Errors on Accuracy of Cause of Death Coding in Shahid Mohammadi Hospital of Bandarabbas

Death information have critical role in adjustment of health plans and cause of death coding leads to organizing and being used of this information. Purpose of this study is to review the impact of documentation errors on cause of death coding accuracy in Shahid Mohammadi hospital in Bandarabbas. This descriptive cross sectional study performed in second half of 2011 by a survey on all death certificates. At first, certificates information were written on forms separately and residents determined sequences of death certificates. Next, the researcher recorded certificates and compared his codes with primary coders. At last, the researcher referred to death certificates for extracting information about documentation errors. Data entered in SPSS and was analyzed with descriptive statistics and chi square test in 95% confidence interval. Accuracy rate of causes of death coding was 51. 7%. There was a meaningful relationship between coding accuracy and major errors (P=. 001); but, between coding accuracy and minors there was not. Among major errors, «cause of death with equal effects» has the most affect (82. 1% error in coding) and the most impact of this error was in endocrine chapter, (94. 4% error in coding). Number of death certificate lines and its language have meaningful relation with both errors. Cause of death coding is not acceptable in this hospital. Considering impact of major errors (9. 4%) on coding accuracy, physicians training in death certificate issue is required.