Referring patients under assessment for medical assistance in dying (MAID)
Héma-Québec is here to help. Give our coordinators a call any day of the week between 6 a.m. and midnight at 1 888 366-7338, option 2, or send them an email at coordonnateurs.th@hema-quebec.qc.ca.
Procedure for MAID donor referrals
Depending on their health, individuals receiving end of life care now have the option to choose medical assistance in dying (MAID). Use of MAID has grown in recent years, which is why caregivers need to learn about the importance of having these discussions with every end-of-life patient. Human tissue donation can play an important role by giving patients a way to leave behind a legacy. You are an essential part of the process, helping patients to express what they really want.
The MAID tissue donation process makes things incredibly simple for a patient’s family, as eligibility is determined prior to the patient’s passing. Potential donors will be able to review the eligibility criteria questions with Héma-Québec staff, which can be a source of comfort for their loved ones.
View the standard procedure for MAID donor referrals.
Support your patients who want to become donors: refer them to Héma-Québec.
Check for exclusion criteria:
- 86 years of age and older
- HIV – HBV – HCV
- Active, untreated systemic infection
- Blood cancer (lymphoma, leukemia, Hodgkin disease, multiple myeloma)
- Alzheimer, Parkinson, dementia of unknown origin
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis
If patients have no exclusion criteria, fill out the “Identification of potential donor undergoing MAID assessment” form and email or fax it to Héma Québec:
- Email: coordonnateurs.th@hema-quebec.qc.ca
- Fax: 418-386-3361
All potential donors will have their social and medical history reviewed to confirm their eligibility. For example, patients with solid tumours are not categorically turned away from tissue donation.
Depending on the donor’s age, the following human tissue can be donated:
- Cardiovascular tissue: birth to 60 years of age
- Cutaneous and musculoskeletal tissue: 15 to 75 years of age
- Eye tissue: 2 to 85 years of age (inclusive)
Available tools
Héma-Québec designed the following tools to help you support patients and their loved ones as they decide whether to become human tissue donors.
For health professionals:
- Standard procedure for MAID donor referrals
- “Identification of potential donor undergoing MAID assessment” form
- Memory Card
For families and loved ones:
- Guide for families and loved ones - to come
- Tissues retrieved
Non-accredited training for healthcare professionals:
Contact us
Héma-Québec staff members provide support to hospitals and help them refer potential donors. Contact us to speak with someone who can help:
- Phone : 1 888 366-7338 (Available 24/7 for donor referrals)
- Email : coordonnateurs.th@hema-quebec.qc.ca
- Fax : 418 780-2097