Today's Thom H program on end of life

42% of WA hospital beds are now under Catholic Church control. Medical decisions under local Bishops’ control.

Recent merger of Virginia Mason with Catholic conglomerate:

https://healthglitz.com/israel/virginia-mason-chi-franciscan-merger-is-official/

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As a Catholic system, CHI Franciscan adheres to the church’s Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, which forbid providing services like abortions, contraception, physician aid-in-dying and gender transition surgery.

Virginia Mason has not previously said exactly which services it would stop providing. A spokesperson in July wrote in an email at the time that “Virginia Mason would ensure it does not cause CHI Franciscan to come out of compliance with the Ethical and Religious Directives (ERDs).” That concerned healthcare advocates like the ACLU of Washington, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington and End of Life Washington. (More)