News in brief - Feb. 28, 2011

Montana rejects doctor-assisted suicide rules

Physician-assisted suicide will remain legal yet unregulated in Montana. The state Senate Judiciary Committee considered two bills related to doctor-aided death -- one to regulate the practice and one to ban it -- and tabled both. The committee tabled another bill that would have enhanced criminal penalties for any individual who assists a suicide.

The legislative proposals came on the heels of a December 2009 state Supreme Court ruling that doctors who prescribe life-ending medications for patients with terminal illnesses are not subject to state homicide statutes. Advocates of access to legal aid-in-dying argue that rules are needed to protect patients from abuse and physicians from medical liability and disciplinary sanctions.

The Montana Medical Assn. said it "does not condone the deliberate act of precipitating the death of a patient," but came out against the proposed ban on physician-assisted suicide. The association took a neutral position on the bill to regulate doctor-aided death. Physician-assisted suicide is legal in Montana, Oregon and Washington.

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Patient safety professionals form group

Physicians and other health professionals who work in patient safety roles now have a membership organization that will soon start offering a certification program.

The nonprofit National Patient Safety Foundation launched the American Society of Professionals in Patient Safety in February with 175 inaugural members. The society said it is the first individual membership organization in the patient safety field.

Membership in the society is open to professionals whose principal job relates to patient safety, including physicians, medical students, risk managers and patient safety officers. Patient advocates also are eligible to join. A statement by the society said the aim is to "build an engaged, focused community of individuals committed to accelerating the delivery of safe patient care" (www.npsf.org/hp/aspps.php).

The National Patient Safety Foundation already offers continuing education courses and an annual meeting. The society will establish a certification program using evidence-based criteria to help professionals implement error-reduction strategies.

This content was published online only.

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