Death with Dignity is the idea of a doctor easing a transition through a time that has no good outcome. It's fundamental to the Hippocratic Oath that a doctor will 'do no harm' and yet they do immense harm in going to extreme measures to keep people alive even when they will obviously die anyway. The doctors are forced into this situation as they will be prosecuted for malpractice or murder if they don't. The Death with Dignity Act is a legal measure in Oregon to get the church out of it and permit doctors to practice medicine as they normally would.
I know with absolutely no question the most important thing to my ol' Mother was her dignity just as it probably is with you.
A: The law states that, in order to participate, a patient must be: 1) 18 years of age or older, 2) a resident of Oregon, 3) capable of making and communicating health care decisions for him/herself, and 4) diagnosed with a terminal illness that will lead to death within six (6) months. It is up to the attending physician to determine whether these criteria have been met.
Q: Can someone who doesn't live in Oregon participate in the Act?
A: No. Only patients who establish that they are residents of Oregon can participate if they meet certain criteria.
Q: How does a patient demonstrate residency?
A: A patient must provide adequate documentation to the attending physician to verify that s/he is a current resident of Oregon. Factors demonstrating residency include, but are not limited to: an Oregon Driver License, a lease agreement or property ownership document showing that the patient rents or owns property in Oregon, an Oregon voter registration, a recent Oregon tax return, etc. It is up to the attending physician to determine whether or not the patient has adequately established residency.
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