An educational response to assisted suicide. Catholic systems reach out to advance compassionate care of the dying.
The future of "The Oregon Death with Dignity Act" is uncertain since a preliminary injunction blocking the law's enactment has been granted. Still, three Catholic healthcare systems in the Pacific Northwest are quite clear about their commitment to providing optimal care to persons at the end of life. Bellevue, WA-based PeaceHealth; Seattle-based Sisters of Providence Health System; and Aston, PA-based Franciscan Health System have formed the Committee on Care of the Dying of the Franciscan, PeaceHealth, and Providence Health Systems. The three organizations have collaborated to develop and offer comprehensive educational outreach on compassionate care of the dying throughout Oregon. Twenty system representatives met in Portland, OR, in January 1995 and developed a vision statement, "Care at the End of Life." In addition, a steering committee of 12 representatives has identified the goals of the Committee on Care of the Dying. The steering committee has also identified seven "Organizational Commitments and Common Elements" to ensure quality and excellence in compassionate care of the dying. Recently, the Daughters of Charity National Health System, the Carondelet Health System, and the Catholic Health Association-all based in St. Louis-have joined this collaborative effort to educate healthcare providers and the public.
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Sisters of Providence Health System, Seattle, WA, USA.
D002410:Catholicism; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D004645:Empathy; D006266:Health Education; D016519:Hospitals, Religious / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D009922:Oregon; D017236:Suicide, Assisted / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000592:standards*