|
Patient Choices at End of Life – Vermont
is a state-wide organization active in promoting optimum end-of-life care as desired by a majority of Vermonters.
Its mission and directors are a blend of two prior organizations: Death With Dignity Vermont and End-of-Life Choices Vermont.
Patient Choices is an advocacy organization that seeks to educate
Vermonters about end-of-life options and to influence policy,
regulations and practice that affect the terminally ill. It works to promote the best possible pain control, palliative and hospice care, and to enable terminally ill patients to choose the timing and manner of dying if even the best of care fails to prevent or alleviate unbearable suffering.
* * *
End-of-Life Care and Pain Management
is the subject of Senate Bill S.0281. It was passed by the Vermont Senate on February 29, 2008, passed by the House on April 25, adopted by the Committee of Conference and delivered to the Governor on May 2, 2008.
* * *
Vermont Patient-Directed Dying legislation,
which we are working to achieve, will:
- Guarantee that all adult Vermonters have a full range of legal
end-of-life choices
- Assure that mentally-competent persons who are terminally
ill have the right to choose the manner and timing of death
- Allow a terminally ill, mentally-competent person to avoid
the pain of a prolonged dying process by self-administering
legally prescribed medication
Whether or not terminal medication is actually taken by an individual, the fact that he/she has control of his/her life is the comfort that is now lacking.
Major provisions of the proposed legislation:
- In the opinion of two physicians, the life expectancy of the patient will be six months or less
- The patient must be mentally competent
- The patient must make two oral requests separated by a waiting period of at least 15 days
- The patient must sign a witnessed written request
- Two doctors must certify that the patient's request is voluntary with no evidence of coercion
- The request is revocable by the patient at any time
- Medication would be prescribed by the doctor and self-administered by the patient
- Voluntary on the part of the doctor
- No criminal liability for a physician, family member or caring friend who is present
- Health or life insurance policies cannot be nullified if a patient utilizes the law to end his/her life
- Monitoring by State Health Department
"The
time has come"
Television commentary spot featuring Governors
Phil Hoff and Madeleine Kunin and Lt. Governor Barbara Snelling
on Patient-Directed Dying legislation. Read
the transcript.
Listen to and watch the remarkable chronicle
of 62-year-old Lovelle Svart. A life-affirming woman dying of lung cancer, she recorded a video diary during the last six months of her life. She died on September 28, 2007.
The newspaper, Oregonian, provided this opportunity:
http://next.oregonianextra.com/lovelle
Patient
Choices at End of Life – Vermont is a not-for-profit, independent
political action organization based in Vermont.
Patient Choices at End
of Life – Vermont
formerly Death with Dignity Vermont and End-of-Life
Choices Vermont
P.O. Box 1158
Manchester, VT 05254-1158
802-362-2359
E-mail:
Home | Vermonters
Speak Out | Editorials & News
Proposed
Legislation | Get
Involved
Additional
Resources | About Patient Choices
© Copyright
2008, Patient Choices at End of Life – Vermont. All Rights Reserved. |
