Powerpoint presentation by Michael Boyko, Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary. Shown at the April 22, 2010 Funeral Practices Seminar presented by the Board of Rabbis of Southern California and the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles.

1. Michael K. Boyko
Mortuary Manager
Funeral Director
Embalmer
Hillside Memorial Park & Mortuary

2.  I. Certification
 II. Permits
 III. Do’s and Don’ts

3.  EDRS System governed by local health
departments and California Health
Department.
 An online system allowing for FDs,
Doctors, Coroners, & Hospitals to
communicate with Health Registrars
achieving quicker certifications with less
leg work.

4.  Faster Registration Process of Death
Certificates
 Permit generation in Mortuary
 Approved methods for remote attestation
by medical certifiers (no more document
running)
 Immediate ID & SSN verification
 Electronic processing of DC amendments

5.  Official source of information about a
deceased person
 Fourteenth Century in England
 Death Certificates today are both legal
and statistical documents.
 Contains date, location, vital statistics,
and causes of death

6.  DISPOSITION PERMIT: Document which
outlines how human remains will be
disposed of.
 For example: Mr. Stein is to be buried at
Hillside Memorial Park - the disposition
permit for his remains should read
“Burial at Hillside Memorial Park.”

7.  A disposition permit is required to
proceed with the disposition of human
remains, and the document must remain
on file with the health
department/registrar of vital records.
 In order to receive this disposition permit
a correct certified death certificate must
be filed.

9.  Most mortuaries will have a process for
making arrangements when families will
deliver the necessary vital statistical
information to the mortuary for the death
certificate. This information can be given
to the family more quickly if a pre-need
file was established by the deceased.
 Signing by NOK attests to correctness of
this legal document.

10.  The mortuary creates a file in EDRS for
the deceased. Name, DOB, and SS# is
automatically validated by the state’s
system.
 NOTE: Errors in name spelling, legal
name, how a name is registered with
government agencies, wrong date of
birth, or wrong SS# can hold up death
certification process.

11.  Has the deceased
seen a physician
within the last 20
days?
 Questionable
circumstances
surrounding death?
 Car Accident?
 Suicide?
 Pills/Medications?
 Is the death following
a surgery or medical
intervention?
 Has there been a
recent fall of any
type?

12.  If “yes” to any of
these questions the
Mortuary must report
this case to the
Coroner.
 Hours? Days???
 A case number must
be issued and then
everything is at the
Coroner’s discretion
 Sign-Out Case vs. Full
Investigation
 There is not always
an Autopsy just
because the Coroner
is called.
 Your families will be
given a contact
number to call an
investigator with
questions.

13.  Rules on causes vary from Registrar to
Registrar.The Health Department that is
certifying the certificate must accept the
Physicians causes of Death.
 The Mortuary has an extended dialogue
with the doctor as to the cause of death.
Usually there is a faxing process between
Mort & Phys that takes a few hours.

14.  The causes the Physician provides the
mortuary are then submitted to the
registrar for approval.
 At this time the Registrar may kick back
the certificate for misspelling, or
technical errors regarding Causes, Case
#’s etc

15.  Once these causes are approved the
Mortuary then turns to the Physician to
sign the legal certificate (SEAL).
 Physician can sign the EDRS form that is
faxed to them from the database or do a
remote attestation declaring the death
verbally by phone.
 Example: Beijing Certification Last Week

16. Most certifications are done via signing
the faxed Death Certificate document
from EDRS. Once signed the doctor faxes
this form back to EDRS.
 *Timing here is of the essence.
Physicians can neglect signing this form
for a variety of reasons.

17.  Physicians Portion Completed

18.  All information on the DC is entered and
double check by the Mortuary. It is now
officially submitted to the local health
registrar for permitting.
 Once the Health Registrar approves the
certificate EDRS allows for disposition
permits to be generated from the system.

19.  Burial May Take Place
 Shipping of Remains Can Happen
 Cremation Can Take Place

20.  If the death becomes a Coroner’s case
please do not call the Coroner’s Office to
request release of the remains under the
grounds of religious law.
 Mortuaries have an active working
relationship with the coroner’s office (but
there are no favorites) and the rule is first
come first serve.

21.  Do not set service times or dates for
services without speaking to your
Mortuary to assure availability.
Remember just because there is a date in
mind doesn’t mean that permits can be
secured in time.

22.  EDRS can not process Fetal Deaths.
Cases involving fetals deaths and babies
must still be physically brought to the
physician for signature and to the
registrar in person for formal
certification and permitting.Thus,
situations involving babies may take
longer.
 NO COMPUTER INVOLVMENT

23.  Timing
 Law of the Land vs. Religious Law
 Standard Case vs. Coroner’s Case
 Shipping
Impact on Jewish CommunityImpact on Jewish Community

24.  Please remind your families to stay calm
and the mortuaries are on their side. We
understand the goal is for expeditious
burials and shipping.