If a health care facility prohibits its physicians or pharmacists from participating in this act, can the physician or pharmacist still provide information about this act to patients who request it?
Yes, facilities cannot sanction physicians or pharmacists for the following: • Making an initial determination that a patient has a terminal disease and informing the patient of the medical prognosis; • Providing information about the Washington Death with Dignity Act to a patient upon the request of the patient; • Providing a patient, upon the request of the patient, with a referral to another physician; or, • A patient contracting with his or her attending physician and consulting physician to act outside of the course and scope of the provider’s capacity as an employee or independent contractor of the prohibiting health care facility.
