Medboard Matters Podcast
Complaints involving delays and licensee refusals to sign death certificates have risen significantly in recent years. In this episode, we examine common reasons licensees decline to certify deaths, clarify legal and professional responsibilities, and discuss factors that can contribute to delays in the certification process.
Posted October 13, 2026 |
View All Podcasts
Resources and Information
Getting access to NC DAVE
Registering for NC DAVE is a multi-step process that requires a medical practice to register as an NC DAVE “facility” before individual users can obtain individual login credentials.
If your practice is NOT registered as a facility with NC DAVE, refer to this form and follow the instructions to register it. Email your request to vradmin@dhhs.nc.gov. Once you are approved as a facility, visit https://davenc.vitalchek.com/Web/External/UserEnrollment.aspx and enter your practice name. If entering your practice name returns a correct result, you should be able to follow prompts to establish individual credentials.
If your practice IS registered as a facility or you think it might be, visit https://davenc.vitalchek.com/Web/External/UserEnrollment.aspx and enter the practice name. If entering your practice name returns a correct result, follow prompts to establish individual credentials. If not, follow the instructions immediately above to register your facility.
Once you have active credentials, it is recommended that you log in to NC DAVE to ensure you can access the system. Be sure to save your login information so you can find it easily if you need to complete a death certificate.
Contact NC DAVE support
NC Database Application for Vital Events (NC DAVE) - Help Desk (919) 792-5996 | ncdavesupport@dhhs.nc.gov
Hosts and Guests
Jean Fisher Brinkley
Communications Director, North Carolina Medical Board
Jean Fisher Brinkley is NCMB’s Communications Director, a role that involves developing and overseeing production of communications materials and strategies needed to enhance public and professional awareness and understanding of the Board and its mission. She joined NCMB in 2008, after an 11-year career in newspaper journalism, most of it dedicated to reporting on medicine, health policy and the business aspects of health care.
Brinkley earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Mills College in Oakland, CA, and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley. She lives in Raleigh with her husband and two daughters.
You can reach Jean at podcast@ncmedboard.org
John Goldfield, PA-C
Assistant Medical Director, North Carolina Medical Board
John Goldfield, PA-C is an Assistant Medical Director in the Office of the Medical Director with the North Carolina Medical Board. John is a Physician Assistant having trained at Duke University and has been practicing in North Carolina since 2004. He enjoyed careers in Urgent Care, Orthopedic Surgery and Emergency Medicine before starting with the North Carolina Medical Board.
John is an avid trail and ultra-marathon runner, plays harmonica and sings in his band, The Motel Keys, and lives vicariously through his two amazing daughters who are both in college.
