Sustainability of medical assistance in dying provision: Provider perspectives.

Abstract

Objectives: Medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a rapidly growing and evolving field. The provision of MAID in Canada has substantially outpaced the number of new providers. While challenges of provision have been well described, little is known about the sustainability of providing this care long term. To fill this gap, we aimed to determine if providing MAID is sustainable while identifying factors that impact provider wellbeing.

Methods: We developed a 20-item Likert scale-based questionnaire that focused on themes of sustainability. We performed descriptive analyses for each question and used Fisher's exact and Kruskal-Wallis tests to assess differences across provider characteristics. The questionnaire was distributed via a network of MAID navigators and providers in Ontario, Canada.

Results: In total, 38 responses were received from well-experienced clinicians in a variety of specialties. A total of 74% of respondents felt their MAID work was sustainable for the long term. Practitioners strongly enjoyed the work and reported little emotional toll and burnout. While some providers felt the compensation and training were sufficient, others felt it could be improved. Nearly all respondents had someone ethically and clinically knowledgeable about MAID they could go to for support.

Significance of results: Our questionnaire has shown clinicians who are well-experienced and connected to supports report very positive experiences providing MAID and view the work as sustainable. While existing literature and media often emphasize the challenges of MAID, the perspectives of providers highlight a positive experience.