F3-a - From Legislation to Lessons: Mounting a Collaborative Primary Care Response to Requests for Medical Assistance in Dying

Theme 4. The “How to” stream

  • Date: Thursday, October 25, 2018
  • Concurrent Session F
  • Time: 12:00-12:45pm
  • Room:  Pier 7 & 8
  • Style: Presentation (information provided to audience, with opportunity for audience to ask question)
  • Focus: Practical (e.g. Presentation on how to implement programs and/or practices in the team environment)
  • Target Audience: Leadership (ED, clinical lead, board chair, board member, etc.), Clinical providers, Representatives of stakeholder/partner organizations

Learning Objectives After attending this presentation participants will:

  • Be able to identify gaps in knowledge and skill around MAiD assessment and provision
  • Have the foundational knowledge necessary to build an interdisciplinary team, and implement processes to mount a Primary Care Response to community based requests for MAiD
  • Recognize the importance of an Interprofessional and Inter-sectoral approach to MAiD provision and assessment, both for continuity of care and for continuous capacity building
  • Learn to use provision debriefs as a means for continuous quality improvement

Summary/Abstract In June 2016, the Hamilton Family Health Team began collaborating with community partners to develop a comprehensive Primary Care response to community based requests for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD). Our Interprofessional Health Provider (IHP) support team develops and shares educational materials for clinicians, patients and families, and the broader community at large.  The clinical response team receives specific MAiD requests from across the community, and works closely with family physicians to ensure that assessors, providers, system navigators and supporting IHP are available as needed to fulfill individual requests. We are gradually increasing our team of dedicated assessors and providers through supportive mentoring opportunities, and also work closely with the LHIN, Home and Community Care, neighbouring Family Health Teams, and the Hamilton Health Sciences hospital based Assisted Dying Resource and Assessment team to ensure a seamless delivery of care across healthcare sectors.   More recently, the team has begun working with the MOHLTC Care Co-ordination Service to repatriate Hamilton MAiD requests back to our local service as appropriate. This patient-centred, capacity building model ensures not only that requests are heard and responded to efficiently and compassionately, but also that care is delivered within regulations set by legislation; in a model that respects the rights of individuals to conscientiously object to any aspect of the work and still provide an excellent patient experience. Presenters:

  • Jennifer Morritt, BScN, MA, RN, CHPCN(c); Nursing Coordinator/Palliative Resource, Hamilton Family Health Team
  • Noel Robb, MSW, RSW; Mental Health Counsellor, Hamilton Family Health Team