Support and consultation for general practitioners concerning euthanasia: the SCEA project

In the project 'Support and consultation in Euthanasia in Amsterdam' (SCEA) general practitioners can turn to 20 especially trained physicians for adv ice or consultation concerning euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide. In this study the implementation was evaluated and it was investigated whethe r the goals of SCEA. supporting physicians and improving the quality of con sultation, the quality of decision-making and the willingness to report. we re met. Methods used were a questionnaire send to all general practitioners ls registered in Amsterdam (n = 398). registration forms SCEA physicians f illed in for every time SCEA was contacted and records of the public prosec utor. After the study period of 14 months. of the general practitioners who had performed euthanasia during this period. 53% had contacted SCEA at lea st once. The vast majority of general practitioners felt supported bq SCEA. The quality of consultation was: (even) higher in cases of euthanasia in w hich a SCEA physician acted as consultant than in cases with another consul tant. We found no relation between use of SCEA and the last two goals of SC EA. Conclusions: Whether the lack of relation found between SCEA and it's l ast two goals is real or due to the studies limitations remains unclear. Th e results of this study do suggest that SCEA. by further improving the qual ity of consultation, has contributed to the safeguarding of euthanasia and assisted suicide. Therefore, similar networks are being developed throughou t the Netherlands. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserv ed.