Developing a hospital electronic death record and storage system for deceased patients in developing countries

Filling and storing the data of deceased patients by hospitals has been influenced by African cultural beliefs for decades. This research paper investigated the current practices of filling and storage of deceased person's data by hospitals. The study employed a case study approach in collecting data. Data was collected using semi-structured open ended interviews. It was revealed that the current practices involved paper filling and storage of dead patients’ records and issuing of hand written death certificates. This resulted in time delays, errors in completion of the death certificates leading to pricey amendments and lengthy litigation in courts. The findings lead to the proposal of Framework for Hospital Electronic Death Record and Storage System (FHEDRSS) for developing countries to save time and effort, allowing error correction and enhanced accuracy, improving turnaround time for procuring certified copies of death certificates and protecting the archived documentations and the death certificates for many years.