Vol. 15, Spring 2007

The e-newsletter of the Washington End of Life Consensus Coalition (WEOLCC)

Updates on Changes to the POLST Form and Program
In December of 2006, the Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form was reviewed and revised by the Washington POLST Taskforce, a sub-committee of the WEOLCC. The changes were approved by the Washington State Medical Association (WSMA) and the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), the program's co-sponsors. The revision process reflects a commitment by the WSMA and DOH to review and consider revisions to the POLST program every two years.

To date, the WSMA has distributed over 1 million copies of the POLST form. It is now in use by many Washington nursing homes and hospice programs. The form was last updated in November of 2004 to make the form more user- friendly.


The POLST form

The latest revisions include the addition of a date line adjacent to the physician's signature box and a box to summarize the patients goals of care. Details of the recent revisions can be found at the WSMA's Web site at http://www.wsma.org/patient_resources/polst.cfm#revisions.

You can begin to use the new form immediately. You do not have to re-do existing POLST forms in resident charts-all prior versions remain valid.

The WSMA is now charging non-WSMA members a small fee for the form and patient brochure (limited free supplies are available to clinics and hospitals). Patients are encouraged to ask their physicians for the form, but may also obtain a form by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to WSMA, Attn: POLST, 2033 Sixth Avenue, Suite 1100, Seattle, WA 98121. Find out more about the WSMA's ordering policy and how to order the forms in bulk at http://www.wsma.org/patient_resources/patient_information_and_brochures.cfm.

Spanish-language POLST training video

A Spanish-language POLST training video is being produced by the Oregon POLST Taskforce, who has offered to partner with the Washington POLST Taskforce to distribute the video in Washington state. Aided by the generous financial assistance of the Washington State Hospital Association, as well as from the WSMA's operating POLST budget, a Washington-specific segment will be dubbed into the video, and dissemination throughout the state of Washington will be ensured. To properly target the distribution of the Spanish-language training video, Jim Shaw, MD, Chair of the Washington POLST Taskforce, is asking WEOLCC members for help identifying contacts within Hispanic communities across the state. If you have any suggestions, please contact Dr. Shaw at ShawJ@shmc.org.

POLST train-the-trainers workshop for Westside

The POLST Taskforce is planning the second of a series of POLST educational train-the-trainer workshops for this Spring on the Westside. The focus of the meeting will be to provide attendees a curriculum in advanced care planning and the implementation of the POLST in a variety of health care settings, i.e. acute care, long-term care, hospice. The workshop will be modeled on the pilot workshop, held in Spokane in May of 2006. More information, including how to register, will be provided to Coalition members shortly.

POLST speaker's bureau

The POLST speaker's bureau was formed in 2004 and is made up of members of the POLST Taskforce, and other health professionals involved with the POLST program. The all-volunteer group was formed to respond to requests from a variety of health care institutions and other groups for education on the history and integration of the POLST form. For more information, contact Graham Short, speaker's bureau coordinator, at (800) 552-0612, or gfs@wsma.org.

Empowerment Taskforce Provides Input to Online Advance Directive Registry
The Empowerment Taskforce, one of the five sub-committees of the WEOLCC, is currently concentrating its efforts at effecting the design and implementation of the online advance directive registry. Their goal is to have two elements incorporated into this effort: 1) a sticker on driver's licenses indicating whether the person has ADs (similar to the organ donation statement); 2) information on ADs distributed with new drivers licenses.

The taskforce has contacted Larry Hettick, the head of the online registry planning committee, to pursue this discussion.

WEOLCC Steering Committee Welcomes New Members
The WEOLCC would like to welcome Representative Jim Moeller, Iyatunde Akunyun, and Janet Abrams, PsyD to its Steering Committee. Jim Moeller is a Washington State Legislator and will be representing himself. Tunde Akunyun is the President of the Seattle African American Comfort Project and will represent that group. Janet Abrams is a clinical psychologist and will represent herself.

The WEOLCC is excited to have Jim, Tunde and Janet as part of its leadership.

Fall WEOLCC Conference
Planning for a full WEOLCC conference for Fall of 2007 is underway. A Save the Date notice will be sent to the WEOLCC membership shortly.

End of Life Events and Resources

Living With Grief: Before & After the Death
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Evergreen Hospital Medical Center, Kirkland
More information at www.evergreenhealthcare.org or (425) 899-3000

Defining Quality at End of Life: A Multidisciplinary Conference for Health Professionals
Friday, April 27, 2007
St. Luke's Health Education Center, Bellingham
More information at www.nwbhipa.org/eolconf.pdf or (360) 671-2740

Many Voices, One Song: A Celebration of Musical Diversity, Twelfth Annual Benefit Concert to Benefit Multifaith Works
Thursday, April 19th
Seattle First Baptist Church
More information at www.multifaith.org or (206) 324-1520 (x221)

When Professionals Weep; Emotional and Countertransference Responses in End-of-Life Care
Edited by WEOLCC members Renee Katz & Therese Johnson, with chapters by Renee, Therese & WEOLCC Chair Stu Farber, among others
Ordering information at (800) 634-7064, email cstanley@crcpress.com

Participation and Staying Informed
Want to be more actively involved in the End of Life Coalition? The work of the Coalition is being done by its five taskforces. Contact the taskforce liaison(s) below and find out how you can help.

Liaisons will present progress reports to the steering committee during their quarterly meetings. Minutes from these meetings are distributed to the entire Coalition, enabling each Coalition member to keep tabs on the progress of these efforts.

Be sure to visit the Coalition's Web home, hosted on the WSMA Web site. The address is:

http://www.wsma.org/about_wsma/weolcc.cfm

 

End of Life Steering Committee:
Stuart Farber MD, Chair
Sharmon Figenshaw RN, Vice-Chair
Janet Abrams PsyD
Iyatunde Akunyun
Sally Denton RN
Therese Johnson LMHC
Anne Koepsell RN
Peter McGough MD
Jeff Mero
Robb Miller
Representative Jim Moeller
Donna Oiland
William O. Robertson MD
Jim Shaw MD
Senator Pat Thibaudeau
Georganne Trandum RN
Linda Wrede-Seaman MD

Staff: Graham Short

For more information regarding the Washington End of Life Consensus Coalition, contact Graham Short at gfs@wsma.org, or
(206) 956-3633.

 

Washington End of Life Consensus Coalition
2033 6th Avenue, Ste. 1100
Seattle, WA 98121

 

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