Dear Interested Party,
On March 25, 2020, Governor Inslee signed into law Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1608 prohibiting health care entities from limiting health care providers’ ability to give medically accurate information to their patients if a provider is acting in good faith, within the provider’s scope of practice, education, training, and experience, including specialty areas of practice and board certification, and within the accepted standard of care. This includes information related to the Death with Dignity Act (RCW 70.245).
This law also requires health care entities to provide a copy of Department of Health created information regarding this law at the time of hire, contracting, or privileging health care providers and staff. This information must also be provided yearly thereafter.
The bill creates a new chapter of Title 70 RCW and adds a new section to RCW 43.70. This law came into effect June 11, 2020.