What should I know about medical aid in dying?
In the spring of 2016, we brought together patients, family caregivers and health professionals in order to better understand their information needs as well as partnership issues in the context of end-of-life care.
What should I know about medical aid in dying?
In the spring of 2016, we brought together patients, family caregivers and health professionals in order to better understand their information needs as well as partnership issues in the context of end-of-life care.The results are presented below.

What should I know about medical aid in dying? - Synthesis report 2017
INTRODUCTION
In June 2014, Quebec enacted legislation governing medical aid in dying. However, the discussions around the adoption and implementation of the law, as well as certain studies, highlighted a need for more information among the general public, patients, family caregivers and health professionals.
In this new context, it is important to understand how to foster partnerships when requests are received for medical aid in dying.
This is why, in the spring of 2016, the Centre of Excellence on Partnership with Patients and the Public (CEPPP) organized two forums called “What should I know about medical aid in dying?”.
What is medical aid in dying?
Medical aid in dying is defined as care consisting in the administration by a physician of medications or substances to an end-of-life patient, at the patient’s request, in order to relieve their suffering by hastening death.
THE FORUMS
Two forums were held: one was a face-to-face event (in Montreal) on May 27, 2016 and the other was held online over a 3-week period (June 1 to June 21, 2016).
Participants
%
Members of the public
%
Health professionals
- Face-to-face forum 51%
- Online forum 49%
The questions
These forums were organized to bring together members of the public and health professionals to discuss two major questions:
Question 1
What kind of information on medical aid in dying is needed by members of the public and health professionals?
Question 2
What factors facilitate or limit the partnership between patients, family caregivers and health professionals in the context of medical aid in dying?
[available in French only]
THE RESULTS
A rigorous analysis of the discussions at these forums revealed many information needs. Seven major themes were identified, along with courses of action for future research and initiatives to support partnership around medical aid in dying.
INFORMATION NEEDS
The participants expressed their needs for information within six stages of medical aid in dying.
Thoughts and discussions as the end of life approaches
Making a request for medical aid in dying
Evaluating a request for medical aid in dying
Communicating the decision made in response to a request
Administering medical aid in dying
Documenting and evaluating practices
SUPPORTING PARTNERSHIP
The care partnership is a model that can help respond to many of the concerns expressed about requests for medical aid in dying. Seven main themes emerged from the forums:
Reduce the information asymmetry
between the partners on medical aid in dying
Support the partners
so that they can take part in informed conversations about end-of-life care
Integrate human, social and relational considerations
that are outside the strictly clinical, legal and administrative considerations in medical aid in dying
Clarify the roles and responsibilities
of the various partners
Foster the implementation
of a process for dialogue and mediation as a way to resolve conflicts
Reinforce the relationship
of trust between the care partners, for better teamwork
Create institutional, political and social environments
that are favourable to the various stakeholders collaborating in the exercise of leadership
AND THEN?
Three courses of action for proposing practical responses to the concerns of the public and health professionals as we implement medical aid in dying.
Course of action 1
Develop common tools to support conversations on end-of-life care.
Course of action 2
Better integrate human, social and relational considerations.
Course of action 3
Support contexts for partnership and conflict resolution.
An initiative of the Université de Montréal
Supported by
Direction collaboration partenariat patient
Faculté de médecine de l'Université de Montréal
Canada Research Chair in Patient and Public Partnership
CHUM Research Centre
Institut de recherche en santé publique de l'Université de Montréal
Canadian Foundation for Innovation