This bill seeks to improve access to the Washington Death with Dignity Act by amending various sections of the law to clarify definitions and procedures. Notably, it redefines terms such as "adult," "attending physician," and "consulting physician" to "qualified medical provider," thereby expanding the range of healthcare professionals eligible to participate in the process. The bill introduces the concept of "intractable suffering," which pertains to pain or symptoms unmanageable by palliative care, and allows qualified patients to choose their attending or consulting medical providers under specific conditions. Additionally, the waiting period for a qualified patient to receive a prescription is reduced from fifteen days to seven days, with exceptions for patients who are not expected to survive that long or are experiencing intractable suffering.

Moreover, the bill mandates that healthcare providers electronically transmit documentation related to prescriptions and medication dispensing within 30 calendar days. It clarifies that actions taken under this chapter do not constitute suicide or assisted suicide, and it requires state reports to refer to these practices as obtaining and self-administering life-ending medication. New requirements for hospitals and hospice facilities include submitting their end-of-life care policies to the Department of Health for public access and providing specific forms detailing available end-of-life services on their websites. Overall, the bill aims to enhance transparency, streamline processes, and protect healthcare providers from liability when acting in good faith under the law.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 70.245.010, 70.245.020, 70.245.030, 70.245.040, 70.245.050, 70.245.060, 70.245.070, 70.245.080, 70.245.090, 70.245.100, 70.245.110, 70.245.120, 70.245.150, 70.245.180, 70.245.190, 70.245.220, 70.41.520
Substitute Bill: 70.245.010, 70.245.020, 70.245.030, 70.245.040, 70.245.050, 70.245.060, 70.245.070, 70.245.080, 70.245.090, 70.245.100, 70.245.110, 70.245.120, 70.245.150, 70.245.180, 70.245.190, 70.245.220, 70.41.520