PORT ANGELES — Olympic Medical Center’s Board of Commissioners on Wednesday voted to “opt out” of Initiative 1000 — the Death with Dignity act approved by 58 percent of state voters last November.
The law takes effect today.
The decision means that patients cannot receive Death with Dignity services at Olympic Medical Center or its satellite clinics in both Port Angeles and Sequim.
Physicians can choose to provide the service elsewhere. If a patient requests information on the act, OMC physicians are required to provide it.
The vote was 4-2, with Jim Leskinovitch, board president, preventing a tie. Commissioner Cindy Witham was absent.
The commissioners’ vote broke down as follows:
Jean Hordyk made the motion to vote for non-participation in I-1000. It was seconded by Arlene Engel. Jim Cammack and Leskinovitch also voted yes.
The two “no” votes were cast by Gary Smith and John Beitzel.
“This is one of the hardest decisions that this board has made in many years, and it has not been taken lightly,” Leskinovitch said before voting.
The Port Angeles hospital’s Ethics Advisory Committee last month recommended unanimously that the commissioners opt into the act, which was based on Oregon’s 1998 Death with Dignity law.
Under the act, competent adults with six months or less to live can submit a series of formal requests for life-ending medication prescribed by a physician.
The process must be well-documented, closely monitored and scrutinized. The medication itself would have to be administered by the patient who requests it.
Public comment
About 100 citizens packed into Linkletter Hall in the basement of the hospital for Wednesday’s vote. Eighty minutes of public comment and I-1000 presentations preceded the vote.
“The hospital is not a place to administer death,” said Sequim Pastor John MacArthur.
“It is a symbol of life. . . . It is a place of hope.”
“We’re looking at a slippery slope here,” said Randy Simmons. “I encourage you to take the high road.”
Out of 14 speakers in the public forum, 12 opposed participation of I-1000.
Three said that they had voted for I-1000 but had changed their minds and urged the OMC commissioners on Wednesday to opt out.
Opponents of the law cited ethics, religion and the medical creed to “do no harm” as their reasons.
The commissioners had the options of participation, non-participation, partial participation or delaying the vote.
“Here’s the hot seat,” Leskinovitch said, after the motion for non-participation came down to his vote.
“Like I said, this is hard. . . . I’ll vote yes.”
Applause filled the room with Leskinovitch’s decision.
Washington today becomes the second state to enact a right-to-die law.
Oregon data show that few people carry out the process and even fewer use it in a hospital.
Seventeen percent of terminally ill Oregonians considered taking life-ending medication, but only one-tenth of 1 percent actually used it.
The act has been carried out twice in a hospital.
Heath-care institutions and individual doctors independently choose whether or not to participate.
Jefferson Healthcare commissioners voted 4-0 to participate in I-1000 last month. Forks Community Hospital has not yet voted. Word has not been received on whether Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County has made a decision.
More than 72 percent of Jefferson County voters approved the initiative, and close to 61 percent approved it in Clallam County.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
