POLST and COVID-19

National POLST Resources

Basics about POLST:

• Intended Population & Guidance for Health Care Professionals
• Appropriate POLST Form Use Policy

For Health Care Professionals and Facilities:

• Completing POLST Forms in Crisis Standards of Care
• COVID-19 & POLST Statement
• CPR Guidance During the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Webinar: Crafting Care Planning Tools to Meet the Unique Challenges of COVID-19 (59 min including questions)
• Advice on Signatures from Charlie Sabatino (YouTube video, 7 min)
• Long Term Care Facility Guidance
• Communication Skills for Bridging Inequality (VitalTalk)
• Hospital Visitor Policies Nationwide Must Accommodate Patients With Disabilities During COVID-19 Pandemic (The Arc)
• Resolution of Federal Civil Rights Complaint Raises the Bar in Prohibiting Medical Discrimination Against People With Disabilities During COVID-19 Pandemic (The Arc)

Nursing Facility Specific tools (from optimistic-care.org)

• Advance Care Planning During a Crisis for Nursing Homes (12 min video; slides)
• Advance Care Planning and COVID-19
• CALMER Goals of Care Discussion Guide
• Symptom Management in the Nursing Home During COVID-19

Related to Medicare and Medicaid:

• Toolkit on State Actions to Mitigate COVID-19 Prevalence in Nursing Homes (CMS)
• Advance Care Planning: Reimbursable under Medicare (Coalition for Compassionate Care of California)
• Summary of CMS Interim Final Rule provisions (Healthsperien)

FAQs

• Electronic POLST Frequently Asked Questions 
• Frequently Asked Questions for Health Care Professionals
• Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Frequently Asked Questions

For Patients:

• Understanding Advance Care Planning
• Getting Ready to Talk About POLST
• What Your Completed POLST Form Means
• Being Prepared in the Time of COVID-19: Three Things You Can Do Now (Conversation Project)
• Frequently Asked Questions for Patients

Advance Care Planning (ACP) Conversation Resources

• Oregon Health & Science University Center for Ethics:
  • Communication skills for confirming previous POLSTs (18 min video)
  • Pocket Card for discussing previous POLSTs (PDF)
• Respecting Choices:
  • Proactive care planning for COVID-19 (3-page PDF guide)
  • Proactive care planning for COVID-19 (26 min video)
• Prepare For Your Care:
  • Simple ACP Scripts for All Outpatient Health Professionals

Resources from our Partners

• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid:
  • Toolkit on State Actions to Mitigate COVID-19 Prevalence in Nursing Homes (PDF)
• The John A Hartford Foundation:
  • COVID-19 Resources for Older Adults, Family Caregivers and Health Care Providers
• Respecting Choices: COVID-19 Resources
  • Resources to have Planning Conversations in COVID-19
  • Tools to support specific treatment decisions
  • Resources for individuals
• Colorado Program for Patient Centered Decisions:
  • Life Support During the COVID Pandemic (PDF)
• National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization:
  • COVID-19 Information
• The Center to Advance Palliative Care:
  • COVID-19 Response Resources
  • COVID-19 Response Training
• VitalTalk:
  • COVID-Ready Communication Skills
  • Communication Skills for Bridging Inequality
• Ariadne Labs
  • Simulated Telemedicine Demo of COVID-19 Conversation Guide for Outpatient Care (10 min video)
  • Serious Illness Care Program COVID-19 Response Toolkit:
    • Entire toolkit (Zip file)
    • COVID-19 Conversation Guide for Crisis Standards (PDF)
    • Telehealth Communication Tips (PDF)
    • Recommendation Aid (PDF)
    • Care Planning Resource (PDF)
• AMDA (The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine):
  • AMDA Update on COVID-19 and Guidance, Resources & Tools
• The Social Work Hospice and Palliative Care Network (SWHPN)
  • Resources for Hospice & Palliative Care Social Work Professionals During the COVID-19 Crisis

Resources Addressing Discrimination

• Communication Skills for Bridging Inequality (VitalTalk)
• Hospital Visitor Policies Nationwide Must Accommodate Patients With Disabilities During COVID-19 Pandemic (The Arc)
• Resolution of Federal Civil Rights Complaint Raises the Bar in Prohibiting Medical Discrimination Against People With Disabilities During COVID-19 Pandemic (The Arc)
• Also see our Rejecting Racism web page.