Medical assistance in dying (MAID) will soon be offered to patients at Saint Paul Hospital in a clinical space adjacent to the Catholic facility under the responsibility of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority.
A corridor will connect the hospital to the new space, which will be serviced by Vancouver Coastal. The work is scheduled to be completed in August 2024. They are part of the construction of the new Saint Paul Hospital, which will have to leave its Burrard Street location to move to the False Creek district.
Since the introduction of medical assistance in dying in Canada in 2016, religious organizations can refuse to provide these services at their facility, but must work with regional health authorities to provide alternative options to those who request them.
This is the case at St. Paul Hospital, which is operated by Providence Health Care, a Catholic health system.
Patients at Saint Paul Hospital who therefore wish to have access to theAMM will be released from Providence Health Care and transferred to the care of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority in this new clinical space.
This will allow patients to avoid transfers between healthcare facilities to receive this specialized end-of-life treatment.
AMM is a legal option at the end of life, explains Health Minister Adrian Dix. We ensure it is accessible in a way that supports and respects patients, their families and healthcare providers.
While waiting for the work to be completed, the Ministry of Health has tasked the two healthcare providers with making the process as pleasant as possible by overseeing the transport of patients and facilitating communication between all parties involved.
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