Source: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/legdoc.cfm?URL=/docs/2008/bills/intro/S-063.HTM
Timestamp: 2017-10-18 20:06:21
Document Index: 498516944

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 5281', '§ 5286', '§ 5287', '§ 5288', '§ 5289', '§ 5290', '§ 5291', '§ 5292', '§ 5293', '§ 5294', '§ 5295', '§ 5296', '§ 5297', '§ 2312', '§ 2312']

Introduced by Senator Snelling of Chittenden District, Senator Ayer of Addison District, Senator Bartlett of Lamoille District, Senator Condos of Chittenden District, Senator Flanagan of Chittenden District, Senator Lyons of Chittenden District, Senator McCormack of Windsor District, Senator Miller of Chittenden District, Senator Racine of Chittenden District, Senator Shumlin of Windham District and Senator White of Windham District
Subject: Health; end of life; patient‑directed dying
(1) The state of Oregon has been implementing its Death with Dignity Act since 1998. In eight years, Oregon has seen a total of 394 terminal patients formally request medication to hasten death and, of those, 246 patients took the medication and died pursuant to the act. Oregon’s annual report on the act shows that in 2005, 64 prescriptions were written, and 38 patients died after ingesting the medication.
CHAPTER 113. RIGHTS OF MENTALLY COMPETENT PATIENTS SUFFERING A TERMINAL CONDITION
(1) “Attending physician” means the physician who has primary responsibility for the care of the patient.
(2) “Capacity” shall have the same meaning as in subdivision 9701(3)(B) of this title.
(3) “Consulting physician” means a physician who is qualified by specialty or experience to make a professional diagnosis and prognosis regarding the patient’s illness.
(6) “Informed decision” means a decision by a qualified patient to request and obtain a prescription to hasten his or her death based on the patient’s understanding and appreciation of the relevant facts and was made after the patient was fully informed by the attending physician of all the following:
(E) All feasible end‑of‑life services, including comfort care, hospice care, and pain control.
(9) “Qualified patient” means a patient with capacity who has satisfied the requirements of this chapter in order to obtain a prescription for medication to hasten his or her death.
§ 5281. WRITTEN REQUEST FOR MEDICATION
(a) A patient with capacity who has been determined by the attending physician and consulting physician to be suffering from a terminal condition and who has voluntarily expressed a wish to die may make a written request for medication for the purpose of hastening his or her death in accordance with this chapter.
(b) No individual shall qualify under the provisions of this chapter solely because of age or disability.
(c) A request for medication shall be signed and dated by the patient and witnessed by at least two individuals who, in the presence of the patient, attest that, to the best of their knowledge and belief, the patient has capacity, is acting voluntarily, and is not being coerced to sign the request. Neither witness shall be any of the following persons:
(2) A relative of the patient by blood, marriage, or adoption.
(3) A person who at the time the request is signed would be entitled to any portion of the estate of the qualified patient under any will or by operation of law.
(4) An owner, operator, or employee of a health care facility, nursing home, or residential care facility where the qualified patient is receiving medical treatment or is a resident.
(3) Inform the patient of all the following:
(6) Recommend that the patient notify the next of kin.
(8) Inform the patient that the patient has an opportunity to rescind the request at any time and in any manner, and offer the patient an opportunity to rescind at the end of the 15‑day waiting period.
(10) Fulfill the medical record documentation requirements of section 5290 of this title.
Before a patient is qualified in accordance with this chapter, a consulting physician shall examine the patient and the patient’s relevant medical records and confirm in writing the diagnosis of the attending physician that the patient is suffering from a terminal condition and verify that the patient has capacity, is acting voluntarily, and has made an informed decision.
If, in the opinion of the attending physician or the consulting physician, a patient may be suffering from a mental disorder or disease causing impaired judgment, either physician shall refer the patient for counseling. No medication to end the patient’s life shall be prescribed until the person performing the counseling determines that the patient is not suffering from a mental disorder or disease that causes the patient to have impaired judgment.
§ 5286. FAMILY NOTIFICATION
The attending physician shall recommend that the patient notify the patient’s next of kin of the patient’s request for medication in accordance with this chapter. A patient who declines or is unable to notify the next of kin shall not be refused medication in accordance with this chapter.
§ 5287. WRITTEN AND ORAL REQUESTS
In order to receive a prescription for medication to hasten death, a qualified patient shall have made an oral request and a written request and shall have reaffirmed the oral request to his or her attending physician no less than 15 days after the initial oral request. At the time the qualified patient makes his or her second oral request, the attending physician shall offer the patient an opportunity to rescind the request.
§ 5288. RIGHT TO RESCIND
A patient may rescind the request at any time and in any manner regardless of the patient’s mental state. No prescription for medication under this chapter may be written without the attending physician offering the qualified patient an opportunity to rescind the request.
§ 5289. WAITING PERIOD
§ 5290. MEDICAL RECORD DOCUMENTATION
§ 5291. REPORTING REQUIREMENT
(a) The department of health shall annually review the records of qualified patients who have hastened their deaths in accordance with this chapter.
(b) The department of health shall require that any physician who writes a prescription pursuant to this chapter file a report with the department covering all the prerequisites for writing a prescription under this chapter.
(d) The department of health shall generate and make available to the public an annual statistical report of information collected under subsection (c) of this section.
§ 5292. PROHIBITIONS; CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION
§ 5293. IMMUNITIES
(e) No health care provider shall be under any duty, whether by contract, by statute, or by any other legal requirement, to participate in the provision to a qualified patient of medication to hasten his or her death in accordance with this chapter. If a health care provider is unable or unwilling to carry out a patient’s request in accordance with this chapter and the patient transfers his or her care to a new health care provider, the previous health care provider, upon request, shall transfer a copy of the patient’s relevant medical records to the new health care provider.
§ 5294. HEALTH CARE FACILITY EXCEPTION
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a health care facility may prohibit an attending physician from writing a prescription for medication under this chapter for a patient who is a resident in its facility and intends to use the medication on the facility’s premises, provided the facility has notified the attending physician in writing of its policy with regard to such prescriptions. Notwithstanding subsection 5293(b) of this title, any health care provider who violates a prohibition established under this section may be subject to sanctions otherwise allowable under law or contract.
§ 5295. LIABILITIES AND PENALTIES
§ 5296. FORM OF THE REQUEST
I have been fully informed of my diagnosis, prognosis, the nature of medication to be prescribed and potential associated risks, the expected result, and the feasible end‑of‑life services, including comfort care, hospice care, and pain control.
NOTE: Neither witness may be a relative (by blood, marriage, or adoption) of the person signing this request, may be entitled to any portion of the person’s estate upon death, or may own, operate, or be employed at a health care facility where the person is a patient or resident.
§ 5297. STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION
Sec. 2. 13 V.S.A. § 2312 is added to read:
§ 2312. Violation of PATIENT CHOICE AND CONTROL AT END OF LIFE ACT
(A) willfully alter or forge a patient’s request for medication intended to end the patient’s life pursuant to chapter 113 of Title 18, with the intent or effect of causing the patient’s death; or
(B) conceal or destroy a rescission of a patient’s request for medication intended to end the patient’s life pursuant to chapter 113 of Title 18, with the intent or effect of causing the patient’s death.
(A) to request medication intended to end the patient’s life pursuant to chapter 113 of Title 18; or
(B) to destroy a patient’s rescission of a request for medication intended to end the patient’s life pursuant to chapter 113 of Title 18.