Based on this article:Medically Assisted Suicide in the US & Global Perspectives for Practice Managersby Karen BlanchetteAs medical practice managers, you navigate complex ethical, legal, and operational challenges daily. One topic gaining attention is Medically Assisted Suicide, or Medical Aid in Dying (MAID), which is legal in a growing number of U.S. states and select countries worldwide. Understanding its legal status, implications for practice management, and global benchmarks can help you prepare your team for patient inquiries and ensure compliance with evolving regulations.MAID in the United States: Legal Landscape and ImplicationsIn the U.S., MAID—where a physician provides a terminally ill patient with a prescription for self-administered lethal medication—is legal in 11 jurisdictions: Washington, D.C., and the states of California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. Oregon led the way in 1994 with its Death with Dignity Act, followed by Washington in 2008 and others more recently, with New Mexico legalizing MAID in 2021. These laws typically require patients to be 18 or older, residents of the state, and diagnosed with a terminal illness with six months or less to live. Euthanasia, where a physician directly administers lethal drugs, remains illegal nationwide.Data from Oregon, a pioneer in MAID, shows steady but limited use: in 2022, 278 patients used lethal prescriptions, representing 0.6% of total deaths. Across all U.S. jurisdictions allowing MAID, approximately 8,700 deaths have occurred since 1997, averaging about 300 annually. Cancer patients account for roughly 66% of MAID cases, followed by those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at 8%. Practice managers in these states must ensure staff are trained on legal requirements, including patient eligibility, documentation, and reporting to state health authorities. For example, Oregon mandates detailed reporting to its Health Authority, a process that requires meticulous record-keeping to avoid penalties.For practices in states where MAID is illegal (39 states as of 2025), managers should be prepared for patient inquiries, especially as 17 states, including New York and Florida, are considering MAID legislation. Staff training on compassionate communication is critical to address these sensitive discussions while adhering to state laws. Visit the PAHCOM Education Calendar (https://my.pahcom.com/events) and CEUs On-Demand (https://my.pahcom.com/on-demand) for free training on patient communication and compliance, which can help your team navigate these conversations effectively.Global Benchmarks: Insights from Other CountriesGlobally, MAID and euthanasia are legal in countries like Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, offering useful comparisons. In 2021, Canada reported 10,064 MAID deaths, accounting for 3.3% of all deaths, a sharp rise since legalization in 2016. The Netherlands, where both MAID and euthanasia are legal, saw 5.
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