A Government Hotline May Be A Barrier To Aid To Death For Terminal Patients


“When you’re in pain, fifteen days are everything,” said Kim Callinan, president and CEO of Compassion & Choices, which promotes change. “Law-abiding people are hitting roadblocks and barriers.”

For example, in 2016, Youssef Cohen, a political scientist at New York University, took the extraordinary step of using Oregon law when he was dying of mesothelioma at the age of 68. life,” said his wife, Lindsay Wright, vice dean at the university.

To reside, the couple had to hastily sign an apartment lease, obtain an ID from the state motor vehicle agency, transfer medical records, and make an immediate appointment with a Portland doctor to qualify for medical attention in the event of death. Dr. Cohen then faced a 15-day waiting period.

“He failed,” said Dr. wright “He died six days after we arrived. And he suffered.”

A 2018 study from the Kaiser Permanente healthcare system in Southern California found that approximately one-third of patients qualified patients died before completing the process.

New Mexico in June last state legalized medical assistance in death has taken a significantly less restrictive approach than other states. The largely rural state is the first to allow not only doctors but also advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants to help determine eligibility and write prescriptions for deadly drugs. “In some communities, they’re the only providers,” said Representative Deborah Armstrong, Democrat and primary sponsor of the bill.

Although a doctor must also confirm that a patient is terminally ill, New Mexico patients, like most, can skip this step if they are enrolled in hospice. As required by other states, it is sufficient for the patient to make only one written request rather than two or more requests. The waiting period of 48 hours between writing the prescription and filling it can be waived. “People come to me and tell me how grateful they are to have this option when they need it,” Ms. Armstrong said.

California also simplified its 2016 law. In October, Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation reducing the 15-day waiting period between oral requests to 48 hours from January, eliminating the need for a third written “certification”.



Source link

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *