Medical Aid-in-Dying: California's End of Life Option Act and Other Considerations

California has allowed medical aid-in-dying since implementing the law in 2016. Patients, families, and medical professionals continue to have questions about the overall process and alternatives such as hospice care and palliative sedation to address suffering. Joshua Fronk, DO, reviews the medical aid-in-dying process, identifies challenges that patients may encounter as they contemplate this option, and discusses appropriate medical care when approaching end of life.

Joshua Fronk, DO, is a clinical assistant professor within the Division of Primary Care and Population Health at Stanford University. He works as both an inpatient and outpatient palliative medicine physician at Stanford Health Care and is the medical director for the outpatient palliative care program, which has expanded to multiple clinic locations across the Bay Area. Areas of clinical interest and expertise include communication training for healthcare providers and working with the AYA (adolescent and young adult) population living with a terminal illness.

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