144.28 - MEDICAL CERTIFICATION.
144.28 MEDICAL CERTIFICATION.
1. a. For the purposes of this section, "nonnatural cause
of death" means the death is a direct or indirect result of
physical, chemical, thermal, or electrical trauma, or drug or alcohol
intoxication or other poisoning.
b. Unless there is a nonnatural cause of death, the medical
certification shall be completed and signed by the physician in
charge of the patient's care for the illness or condition which
resulted in death within seventy-two hours after receipt of the death
certificate from the funeral director or individual who initially
assumes custody of the body.
c. If there is a nonnatural cause of death, the county or
state medical examiner shall be notified and shall conduct an
inquiry.
d. If the decedent was an infant or child and the cause of
death is not known, a medical examiner's inquiry shall be conducted
and an autopsy performed as necessary to exclude a nonnatural cause
of death.
e. If upon inquiry into a death, the county or state medical
examiner determines that a preexisting natural disease or condition
was the likely cause of death and that the death does not affect the
public interest as described in section 331.802, subsection 3, the
medical examiner may elect to defer to the physician in charge of the
patient's preexisting condition the certification of the cause of
death.
f. When an inquiry is required by the county or state medical
examiner, the medical examiner shall investigate the cause and manner
of death and shall complete and sign the medical certification within
seventy-two hours after determination of the cause and manner of
death.
2. The person completing the medical certification of cause of
death shall attest to its accuracy either by signature or by an
electronic process approved by rule. Section History: Early Form
[C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, § 2320; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, §
141.4(18); C71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, § 144.28] Section History: Recent Form
97 Acts, ch 159, §16; 2002 Acts, ch 1098, §2; 2007 Acts, ch 159,
§26; 2008 Acts, ch 1058, §13
Referred to in § 144.35, 331.611