U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging and POLST – News and Updates

The Senate Special Committee on Aging holds hearings about a wide range of topics affecting older Americans. Some of the hearings (below) are noteworthy to POLST because they addressed the need for advance care planning and POLST.

2016

On June 23, 2016, a Senate Special Committee on Aging (SD-562) hearing was held at 11:00 am. A Member statement from Senator Susan M. Collins (R-ME), and Witness Testimony from Atul Gawande, MD; Kate Lally, MD; and Amy Berman, BSN, LHD, is available online, as well as videorecording of the hearing.

» Visit the Senate Hearings webpage for “The Right Care at the Right Time: Ensuring Person-Centered Care for Individuals with Serious Illness”

2013

On June 26, 2013, Amy Vandenbroucke presented POLST at the Renewing the Conversation: Respecting Patients Wishes and Advance Care Planning Senate Special Committee on Aging (SD-124) hearing. She provided five minutes of oral testimony and provided a more in-depth written testimony. By participating, POLST gained a new level of recognition and has started to build a good public record through the testimonies.

» Watch the Committee on Aging hearing. Amy Vandenbroucke’s testimony begins 53:50.
» Read Amy Vandenbroucke’s written testimony.