Expedited Death Response discontinued in hospitals effective June 17

Effective 8 a.m. Wednesday, June 17, 2020

As the provincial government introduces its phased reopening of Ontario, the Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO) and the Chief Coroner for Ontario (OCC) will be discontinuing the Expedited Death Response (EDR) in hospitals.

The EDR remains in place for long-term care (LTC) facilities.

As of Wednesday, 8 a.m. June 17, 2020, hospitals will no longer send EDR forms to the OCC in order to obtain a Medical Certificate of Death (MCOD).

Please remember that a hard copy of the MCOD must now be prepared by hospitals for funeral homes, as electronic copies from the OCC Team will no longer be provided. 

The timeframe and processes for hospitals and families selecting and contacting a funeral home will return to practices that existed prior to the EDR. Unless there is an outbreak at a hospital, funeral homes will return to their regular processes for transferring deceased patients. As usual, there may be delays in hospitals changing their procedures – please have patience and communicate with them to ensure a mutual understanding of their protocols.

The EDR remains in place for long-term care (LTC) facilities. This means the 12-hour timeframe for LTC facilities to submit reports, with the family’s selection of a funeral home to the OCC Team, remains in place.