Tag Archives: POLST

Electronic Health Records Fall Short at Critical Times

Information about end-of-life wishes is often hard to find in an emergency

Over the last decade, the use of electronic health records — digital versions of the traditional medical chart — has become widespread in the United States. Incentivized by the passage in 2009 of the Health Information Technology for Economic and … Continue reading

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Our Weekly Tip: Use the Right Tools to Document Your Wishes About End-of-Life Care

It's important to understand the difference between an Advance Directive and a Living Will

Our Tip of the Week: Today, more and more people understand the importance of documenting their wishes about how they want to be cared for as they approach the end of their lives. Yet, thanks in large part to the confusing … Continue reading

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Mark Your Calendars: National Healthcare Decisions Day is April 16th

A nationwide initiative to help Americans plan for serious illness and end-of-life care

Saturday, April 16, 2016, is National Healthcare Decisions Day, a nationwide initiative to educate and empower the American public to make and communicate decisions about their future healthcare needs. Marked by events at healthcare facilities and public venues across the … Continue reading

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Important Changes to California’s POLST Law

Nurse practitioners and physician assistants can now sign end-of-life orders

As of Jan. 1, 2016, nurse practitioners and physician assistants acting under the supervision of a physician are authorized under California’s newly enacted Assembly Bill 637 to sign Physician’s Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment forms. Also known as POLST, the … Continue reading

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Get Informed: Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment

POLST puts end-of-life healthcare directive decisions back in the patient's hands.

We’ve often visited on this blog the importance of Advanced Care Directives to ensure that patients are fully educated and empowered to make end-of-life healthcare decisions. Throughout the years, as the implications of orders like “Do Not Resuscitate” have confused … Continue reading

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What is Advance Directive? – An Interview with Judy Epstein

You already knew about the importance of filling out an advance directive; what about a POLST?

Dr. Judy Neall Epstein is a naturopathic physician and the Clinical Director of the Compassion & Choices End-of-Life Consultation Program. Dr. Epstein spent ten years in private practice before accepting her position at Compassion & Choices, where she works with … Continue reading

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