Evaluation of the Electronic Death Registration System Based on Performance Requirements in Iran

Recording the reasons of death especially its underlying causes are considered to be the most important data in modifying health-care programs of countries. Therefore, a comprehensive computer system, related databases is necessary in analyzing and understanding the main processes in health-care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the electronic death registration system in Iran based on its requirements. This was a descriptive-analytical study conducted in 2011 in 12 medical universities of Iran. The study population consisted of two groups of users and officials of the electronic death registration system in medical sciences universities of our country (n = 50). The data collection Tools of this study is a researcher-constructed questionnaire based on the Likert scale, and a checklist. The questionnaire was based on 3 requirements (user requirements, general requirements, and security requirements). The checklist was designed to assess technical requirements. The validity of the questionnaire was approved by the content validity method (opinions of teachers and scholars of health information management and computer sciences). Its reliability was approved using Cronbach’s alpha. Data analysis was conducted by SPSS statistical software version 20 and descriptive statistics. 84.6%, 75.7%, 40.9% of users and experts of medical sciences universities, type 1, respectively approved the existence of user, general, and security requirements. 34.8%, 66.7%, and 22.7% in type 2, and 35.7%, 33.3%, and 20.7% in type 3 universities, respectively, approved the existence of user, general, and security requirements. Moreover, technical requirements are approved by 64.7% of software experts. According to these results, with a mean of 51.7% in user requirements, 58.5% general requirements, and 64.7% technical requirements the electronic death registration system is at an acceptable level. However, it is at a weak level in terms of security requirements (28.1%). Weak results of the security requirements show the inefficiency of this system’s software. Therefore, the Ministry of Health and Medical Education should plan to improve the performance of this software in terms of security requirements.