This is George Clooney's last episode as a series regular, although he returned for guest appearances in 2000 and 2009. He left the show to focus on a film career.
The episode won 2 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Drama Series.
Ross says that after everything he is considering taking a job in either Portland, Oregon or Seattle, Washington. Part of the reason behind his decision might be due to the fact that those states are much more open to the idea of physician assisted suicide. In 1991 a new measure went on the ballot in Washington, the first state to attempt to pass such a measure, to legalize assisted suicide, it did not pass through. In 1994 Oregon passed the Death With Dignity Act, becoming the first state in the country to legalize physician assisted suicide, it faced a few legal issues and challenges and did not go into effect until October of 1997. The law allows terminally ill patients with less than six months to live to request a prescription for a lethal dose of a narcotic, the drug most frequently used is secobarbital, a barbiturate sedative. The patient must make two oral requests to their physician and one written one, and the patient's terminal diagnosis must be confirmed by a second physician and they must be evaluated by a psychiatrist to ensure they making the choice of their own free will and are not being pressured by family.
As of 2023 nine other states have legalized physician assisted suicide: Washington in 2008, Vermont in 2013, California in 2015, Colorado and the District of Columbia in 2016, Hawaii in 2018, New Jersey and Maine in 2019 and New Mexico in 2021, although in January 2014 the Circuit Court of Bernalillo County ruled that physician assisted suicide was legal, however it was overturned by the New Mexico State Supreme Court in April of 2015. It is also technically legal in the state of Montana after the Montana State Supreme Court ruled in 2009 that assisted suicide does not violate Montana's Constitution, however the state does not have an actual right to die law.
As of 2023 nine other states have legalized physician assisted suicide: Washington in 2008, Vermont in 2013, California in 2015, Colorado and the District of Columbia in 2016, Hawaii in 2018, New Jersey and Maine in 2019 and New Mexico in 2021, although in January 2014 the Circuit Court of Bernalillo County ruled that physician assisted suicide was legal, however it was overturned by the New Mexico State Supreme Court in April of 2015. It is also technically legal in the state of Montana after the Montana State Supreme Court ruled in 2009 that assisted suicide does not violate Montana's Constitution, however the state does not have an actual right to die law.