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LOINC Code 79378-6: Cause of death

79378-6 is a LOINC code used to identify Cause of death in laboratory and clinical observation data. You may see this code in lab systems, lab reports, EHR exports, interoperability feeds, or other structured clinical data exchanges. LOINC codes identify tests, measurements, observations, survey items, and clinical questions in a standardized way. It is associated with the component Cause of death. It is commonly used with the system or sample type ^Patient.

Reviewed by HealthAssure Clinical TeamUpdated 21 May 2026

What is this code?

LOINC codes identify tests, measurements, observations, survey items, and clinical questions in a standardized way. It is associated with the component Cause of death. It is commonly used with the system or sample type ^Patient.

When is it used?

  • Used in lab systems, EHRs, and clinical data exchange.
  • May identify a test, observation, survey item, or clinical document request rather than a diagnosis.
  • Status: ACTIVE
  • Order vs observation: Observation

What it does not mean

  • The code identifies the observation or test, not the actual result.

Key facts

Cause of death
Official cause of death as coded from the death certificate in valid ICD-7, ICD-8, ICD-9, and ICD-10 codes. If an appropriate ICD code cannot be found, there are three supplemental codes0000 Patient alive at last contact, 7777 State death certificate not available, and 7797 State death certification available by underlying cause of death is not coded (Refer to the SEER Program Code Manual for additional information). Cause of death is used for the calculation of adjusted survival rates by the life table method. This term was created for, but not limited in use to, the "Standards for Cancer Registries Volume II, Data Standards and Data Dictionary, Tenth Edition, Record Layout Version 11."
Finding; Findings; H+P; H+P.HX; Nominal; P prime; Point in time; Random

Where you may see this code

You may see this code in lab systems, lab reports, EHR exports, interoperability feeds, or other structured clinical data exchanges.

Common synonyms

Cause of deathH&P.HXFindPt^PatientNomFinding

Frequently asked questions

Code details

Code79378-6
SystemLOINC
Display nameCause of death
Short nameCause of death
ComponentCause of death
PropertyFind
TimingPt
System (specimen)^Patient
ScaleNom
ClassH&P.HX
StatusACTIVE
Order/ObservationObservation

Flags

BillableNo
Valid clinical useNo

Source

SourceLOINC
Version2.82
Releasemain
First released2.54
Last changed2.54

Part names

Cause of deathFindPt^PatientNomFindingPoint in time (spot)

About this content

This page is prepared by HealthAssure's clinical team using official coding standards from LOINC. AI tools assist with drafting explanations, which are then reviewed and verified by healthcare professionals for accuracy. This content is for informational purposes and does not replace professional medical advice. Meet our team.

LOINC Code 79378-6 | HealthAssure