Barbara Coombs Lee
Barbara Coombs Lee is an American nurse, physician assistant, and attorney who has been a prominent advocate for end-of-life care and medical aid in dying. She served as the President of Compassion & Choices from 2005 to 2019, an organization that advocates for terminally ill patients' rights to self-determination at the end of life.
Early Life and Education[edit | edit source]
Barbara Coombs Lee was born in Boston, Massachusetts. She completed her undergraduate studies in nursing at Boston College and later earned a Master's degree in Nursing from Yale University. She also holds a Juris Doctor degree from Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon.
Career[edit | edit source]
Coombs Lee began her career in the medical field as a nurse and physician assistant, working in various settings including emergency medicine, intensive care, and primary care. She later transitioned into law, focusing on healthcare law and policy.
In the 1990s, Coombs Lee served as a Senior Executive for Kaiser Permanente, where she was responsible for managing patient services and nursing operations. She also served as a healthcare policy advisor to the Governor of Oregon.
In 1994, Coombs Lee co-authored the Oregon Death with Dignity Act, which was the first law in the United States to allow terminally ill adults to request and receive prescription medication to hasten their death. She has since become a leading advocate for similar laws in other states and countries.
As President of Compassion & Choices, Coombs Lee led the organization's efforts to improve care and expand choice at the end of life. Under her leadership, the organization successfully advocated for the passage of medical aid in dying laws in several states, including California, Colorado, and Hawaii.
Recognition[edit | edit source]
Coombs Lee's work in end-of-life care has been recognized with numerous awards and honors. In 2017, she was named one of the 50 most influential people in healthcare by Modern Healthcare magazine.
See Also[edit | edit source]
  | This American law–related biographical article is a stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it. |
This US-nurse related article is a stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it.
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
