“Allow Natural Death” (AND) versus “Do Not Resuscitate” (DNR)
In their Letter to the Editor, Clarity or Confusion? Variability in Uses of ‘‘Allow Natural Death’’ in State POLST Forms, Dan Chen, MD, and Daidre Azueta, MD, discuss the pros and cons of the phrase “Allow Natural Death (AND)” versus “Do No Resuscitate (DNR)” on POLST Forms. The authors explain that AND was proposed as […]
POLST Research: The Oncology Specialist’s Role in POLST Form Completion
In this retrospective cohort study, authors Austin Lammers, MD, Dana Zive, MPH, Susan Tolle, MD, and Erik Fromme, MD, analyzed data from Oregon in order to answer the question: “Which specialists hold POLST conversations with cancer patients?” In the two years from which the study data were taken, 2010 and 2011, 14,979 individuals died of cancer […]
Lessons from Oregon in Embracing Complexity in End of Life Care
Article published in the New England Journal of Medicine discusses the development of POLST along with other health care initiatives as the likely reason Oregon patients receive care more consistent with their own end-of-life wishes, compared to Washington state and the U.S. as a whole. In a March 16, 2017 New England Journal of Medicine article, Lessons from Oregon in […]
POLST Progress in Arizona and Arkansas
Arkansas POLST Legislation signed into Law Approved by Senate and House Committee on March 6, 2017 On March 6, 2017, the entire Arkansas Senate passed Senate Bill 356, and the following day, the House Public Health Committee unanimously approved SB 356, which establishes the Arkansas Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) Act and provides for […]
West Virginia POLST Paradigm Program (POST) affects place of death for advanced cancer patients
On February 24th, 2017, Alvin (“Woody”) Moss, MD, gave a presentation on recent POLST research at the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine Annual Assembly in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Moss presented study findings based on data from the the West Virginia POST Registry (POST, or the Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment, is West […]
Multiple POLST Paradigm Policy Developments at the National Level
On February 10, 2017, two National POLST Paradigm policies were formally approved: (1) the National POLST Paradigm Fundamental Policy Principles and (2) the National POLST Paradigm Conflict of Interest (COI) Policy. Fundamental Policy Principles This document outlines what the National POLST Paradigm seeks to accomplish, and presents the principles which are most fundamental to the […]
Health Care Organizations Convene to Promote Palliative and End-of-Life Care in Letter to Secretary Price and Secretary Shulkin
On February 17, 2017, fourteen health care organizations, including the National POLST Paradigm Office, joined together in sending a letter to Tom Price, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and David Shulkin, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. According to Amy Vandenbroucke, Executive Director of the National POLST Paradigm, […]
Two articles in The American Journal of Bioethics feature POLST
Two articles recently published in The American Journal of Bioethics feature POLST: (1) ‘ “Erring on the Side of Life” Is Sometimes an Error: Physicians Have the Primary Responsibility to Correct This,’ by Arthur Derse, JD, MD, and (2) ‘Controlling the Misuse of CPR Through POLST and Certified Patient Decision Aids,’ by Thaddeus Pope, JD, […]
The National POLST Paradigm Office has moved!
On January 20, 2017, the National POLST Paradigm Office officially left the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Center for Ethics in Health Care, which has served as its administrative home since 2004. Emails and web address are unchanged, but we have new phone numbers! Our general line is now (202) 780-8352. We hope to […]
Webinar: Frailty and Mortality — How Are They Linked?
On September 14, 2016, Kenneth Brummel-Smith, MD, presented an hour-long webinar, “Frailty and Mortality — How Are They Linked?” During this presentation, Dr- Brummel-Smith discussed: common definitions of frailty, how frailty and disability differ, the risks of frailty, and evidence that frailty shortens life expectancy. Dr. Brummel-Smith is the Charlotte Edwards Maguire Professor of Geriatrics at […]