Colorado End of Life Options Act

In November 2016, Colorado voters passed the End of Life Options Act, also known as Proposition 106. The Colorado End of Life Options Act established a system for Colorado residents with a terminal illness to request and self-administer aid-in-dying medication from a physician under certain conditions.

The Colorado End-of-Life Options Act authorizes medical aid in dying and allows a terminally ill adult to end his or her life in a peaceful manner. The patient must meet several requirements, including: • A prognosis of six months or less; • Mental capacity to make an informed decision; • Residency in Colorado; and • Has requested and obtained a prescription for medical aid-in-dying medication.

Colorado law recognizes certain rights and responsibilities of qualified patients and health care providers under the End-of-Life Options. Under the Act, a health care provider, including The Memorial Hospital at Craig, is not required to assist a qualified patient in ending that patient’s life.

The Memorial Hospital at Craig has chosen not to participate under the Act. The Memorial Hospital at Craig caregivers will still provide all other requested end-of-life and palliative care and other services to patients and families.

Any patient wishing to request medical aid-in-dying medication while a patient at this hospital will be assisted in transfer to another facility of the patient’s choice.

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What Does This Mean?

What does this mean? Physicians employed by or under contract by The Memorial Hospital at Craig may not knowingly participate in activities under the act. These activities include:

• Perform the duties of an attending physician

• Perform the duties of a consulting physician

• Perform the duties of a licensed mental health professional

• Prescribe or dispense medical-aid-in-dying medications for an individual who intends to sel-administer the medical-aid-in-dying medications on The Memorial Hospital at Craig premises

• Participate in patient or provider support related to this Act