FOR CLINICIANSA trusted referral for medical aid in dying.
If your patient has asked about medical aid in dying and you're not able or willing to provide it yourself, you have somewhere to send them. I'm a palliative care and hospice physician, triple board certified, and I provide MAID across the Bay Area.
YOUR ROLEYou choose your level of involvement.
Some referring clinicians want to stay connected as the attending or consulting provider; many prefer to be entirely hands-off and that's completely fine.You're never obligated to be part of the process to help your patient reach it.
OPTION ARefer and step away
You have no obligation to participate. Hand off the referral and you're done.
OPTION BRemain in the loop
Prefer to stay involved? You can remain the attending or consulting provider and stay informed as your patient moves through the process.
I HANDLE THE HARD PARTSThe bureaucracy is mine, not yours.
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State reporting
Everything submitted to the state, correctly and on time.
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The second provider
I secure the required consulting physician, or coordinate with you.
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Legal steps & timelines
The waiting periods and eligibility steps, tracked and managed.
All required written and verbal request paperwork.
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Documentation
It takes a sentence.
HOW TO REFER1.
Reach out. Send your patient here, or contact me directly.
2.
I take it from there. Send your patient here, or contact me directly.
Stay as informed as you like. Hands-off or looped in — your call, at any point.
3.
REFER OR ASKHave a patient, or a question?
I'm glad to talk through a case, or take a referral whenever you're ready.
What referring physicians ask.
CLINICIAN QUESTIONSThis isn't legal advice; California's End of Life Option Act governs the specifics.
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No. Participation in California's End of Life Option Act is entirely voluntary for providers. You can refer a patient to me and step back completely — you're never required to prescribe, evaluate, or be involved in any way you don't choose.
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No. California law protects clinicians who act in good faith under the Act — including discussing end-of-life options, providing a referral, or being present. Referring your patient to me carries no civil or criminal liability and no professional sanction.
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Very little — often just your patient's name and a sentence. You can share my information with them or reach out directly. I will ask for medical information to evaluate MAID criteria. From there I take on the evaluation, the required requests, the documentation, and the state reporting.
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Neither, unless you want one. As the attending physician, I handle prescribing, documentation, and the mandatory CDPH reporting; I also secure the independent consulting physician who confirms eligibility. You can hand off both roles entirely.
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Yes. If you're qualified and independent, you're welcome to serve as the consulting physician, or simply stay looped in on your patient's care. I'll match whatever level of involvement you prefer.
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Yes — patients can pursue medical aid in dying while enrolled in hospice; the two sit alongside each other. Note that some hospices and health systems set their own participation policies, so it's worth checking yours. Either way, I can serve as the outside attending physician so your patient isn't left without a path.
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You may decline to participate for reasons of conscience, morality, or ethics — that's explicitly your right. Your obligations are minimal: let the patient know you won't be providing it, and transfer their records on request. Referring them to me satisfies your patient's need without compromising your convictions.
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An adult California resident with a terminal diagnosis (prognosis of six months or less) who has decision-making capacity and is able to self-administer the medication. If you're unsure whether your patient qualifies, send them my way and I'll make that determination.