Hawai'i's death-registration system was recognized in the government-to-government category by the National Center for Digital Government. This annual awards program recognizes the most innovative, user-friendly state and local government portals and data systems.

In a news release issued by the state Department of Health, Alvin Onaka, state registrar of vital statistics, and chief of the Office of Health Status Monitoring, said: "This national recognition was achieved through collaboration with the Hawai'i Information Consortium, Hawai'i's EDRS vendor, and among mortuaries, medical examiner/coroner physicians, medical facility record staff, and private physicians statewide who participate in the program."

Funded by a grant from the Social Security Administration, the EDRS is an Internet-based system that enables users of the system to electronically register and certify deaths with the Department of Health.

Previously, the death record was completed manually on paper by the mortuary/funeral home and the medical certifier. The paper record was then sent to the Department of Health for filing. The EDRS now provides for the paperless filing of a death record and improves the timeliness and accuracy of cause-of-death reporting.