Dr Joanne Wright criticizes telehealth VAD assessments

Dr. Joanne Wright, an old-age psychiatrist in Sydney, criticized the use of telehealth for voluntary assisted dying (VAD) assessments, calling the method an inappropriate and blunt instrument for such a sensitive topic.

In an email to The Catholic Weekly, Wright explained that the push for telehealth assessments aims to increase access to city-based assessors, particularly in rural areas where few healthcare practitioners want to participate in VAD processes. She noted that some jurisdictions have already attempted to increase the number of practitioners by allowing registered nurses or nurse practitioners to administer the medication.

Wright argued that telehealth assessments are flawed because VAD assessors are typically not the patient's regular doctor and lack familiarity with the patient's mental health history, family dynamics, and way of thinking. She stated that the interpersonal relationship between a patient and a healthcare professional is vital in palliative care, where good communication can help address fears that may exceed a patient's actual medical reality. Wright distinguished VAD from the ethical medical practice of withdrawing futile treatment or providing palliative care, describing VAD as the deliberate administration of a poison to end a life.