BACKGROUND: Death certificate inaccuracies have implications for funding and planning public health services, health research and family settlements. Improved training has been identified as a way of reducing inaccuracies. Understanding the influences on certifying doctors should inform that training. AIM: To explore what factors influence GPs as they complete death certificates. DESIGN: Focus groups held by teleconference with 16 GPs. SETTING: New Zealand general practice. METHOD: Four teleconferenced focus groups were taped and transcribed. Transcripts were examined for emerging themes. Credibility, transferability and confirmability were underwritten by a clear audit trail. RESULTS: Participants identified two factors that influenced death certification: clinical uncertainty and the family. Other themes provided an understanding of the personal and professional concerns for GPs. CONCLUSION: Improving death certification accuracy is a complex issue and needs to take into consideration factors that influence certifiers.
BACKGROUND: Death certificate inaccuracies have implications for funding and planning public health services, health research and family settlements. Improved training has been identified as a way of reducing inaccuracies. Understanding the influences on certifying doctors should inform that training. AIM: To explore what factors influence GPs as they complete death certificates. DESIGN: Focus groups held by teleconference with 16 GPs. SETTING: New Zealand general practice. METHOD: Four teleconferenced focus groups were taped and transcribed. Transcripts were examined for emerging themes. Credibility, transferability and confirmability were underwritten by a clear audit trail. RESULTS:Participants identified two factors that influenced death certification: clinical uncertainty and the family. Other themes provided an understanding of the personal and professional concerns for GPs. CONCLUSION: Improving death certification accuracy is a complex issue and needs to take into consideration factors that influence certifiers.
Authors: G Filippatos; P Andriopoulos; G Panoutsopoulos; S Zyga; K Souliotis; V Gennimata; M Tsironi Journal: Hippokratia Date: 2016 Jan-Mar Impact factor: 0.471
Authors: Shaleen Ahmad; Iain M Carey; Tess Harris; Derek G Cook; Stephen DeWilde; David P Strachan Journal: BMC Geriatr Date: 2021-06-21 Impact factor: 3.921