Washington End of Life Consensus Coalition
News
About us
Mission and vision statements
Values
WEOLCC newsletter
Steering Committee members
Join the Coalition!
News
End-of-life documents can now be registered online in Washington state
Most people have clear ideas of their end-of-life preferences, but few share these with family and physicians. The Washington State Living Will Registry is designed to preserve Washington State residents’ final wishes. A living will (also known as a health care directive) gives you the power to record your most important medical decisions in case you are unable to communicate them later. People of all ages should have a living will. The Living Will Registry can also record other end of life documents, including a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment form (POLST), and Mental Health Directives. Whatever end of life documents you choose, by recording them using the Washington State Living Will Registry, your family members will be comforted knowing that your treatment choices are up-to-date and accurate.
Create a complete record of your wishes
The Washington State Living Will Registry includes the following (click on the link for more information about that particular end of life document):
Sign up today
Registering online is easy and free. Once registration is complete, you will receive a unique registration number. Only authorized health care personnel can access your living will. You can access your living will at any time and will automatically be reminded annually to update your living will documents if needed.
Take charge of your life and document your decisions at www.doh.wa.gov/livingwill or call 1.800.525.0127 today.
November 14 POLST train-the-trainer workshop in Bellingham a success
Titled "Honoring Wishes Near the End of Life—Successful
Implementation of the POLST," the workshop attracted over 30 regional health professionals, who recieved a
train-the-trainer curriculum in advance care planning and implementation of the
POLST (Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment) in a variety of institutions.
The workshop was presented by Paul Cunningham, MD, and Sharmon Figenshaw, RN, ARNP. A follow-up letter will be mailed to the workshop attendees in early 2008.
Thanks to everyone who attended the WEOLCC's 2007 Annual Meeting, "POLST
Legislative Update,"
in SeaTac, WA on October 19.
The feedback we've received was overwhelmingly positive.
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About us
The Washington End of Life Consensus Coalition (WEOLCC)
began its work in June 1997. While acknowledging that effecting
change in our families, communities, and health care institutions
will require long-term vision and effort, the Coalition
believes that efforts both immediate and long range need
to be brought to bear to significantly improve care for
the dying. The Coalition will annually revisit its goals
and its work toward them to ensure that it is responding
to short-range needs in care for the dying while allowing
its long-range work to evolve, as end-of-life care itself
evolves.
Membership of the WEOLCC is a broad-based cross-section
of individuals and organizations across the state interested
in bettering end of life care. Coalition members meet once
a year at the WEOLCC annual meeting, usually in the fall,
where the course of action for the upcoming year is determined.
The Steering Committee of the WEOLCC meets quarterly to
create an action plan for reaching the goals set forth by
the Coalition.
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WEOLCC Vision and Mission Statements
Vision
Our vision is a community where people are empowered to
make knowledgeable choices regarding their end of life that
are known, respected, and honored.
Mission
Our mission to promote caring conversations about living
and dying well within all communities across Washington
state.
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WEOLCC Values statement
-
We foster conversation to build common ground,
increase understanding and collaboration, reduce polarization,
and increase open honest discussion where everyone's
diverse perspective is honored.
- We value the development of rich relationships
that support leadership and facilitate networking for
professionals and lay people involved in/working with
serious illness and end of life issues.
- We believe the end of life is a natural important
life cycle event.
- We value helping patients and families live the
best life they can until they die.
- We believe that patients, families and communities
should be empowered to choose care based on their
values and goals.
- We believe in building diverse coalitions that
create consensus in ways that improve the end of life
experience for every person in the state of Washington.
- We believe that everyone in the state of Washington
should have access to excellent end of life care.
- We support access to hospice and palliative care
for all citizens in the state of Washington.
- We celebrate the successful events that have gone
before in end of life care.
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WEOLCC Newsletter
Read the September 2007 issue of the WEOLCC newsletter.
Archived newsletters:
March 2007
April 2006
November 2005
May 2005
To receive the Coalition's quarterly newsletter, contact
Graham Short at (206) 956-3633.
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Join the WEOLCC!
To join the Washington End of Life Consensus Coalition,
just contact Coalition staff member Graham Short at (206)
956-3633
and ask to join. It's a simple as that.
Members will receive the WEOLCC newsletter (via email or
mail), as well as email minutes from the quarterly steering
committee meetings.
Coalition members will be invited to participate in a yearly
WEOLCC annual meeting, typically in the fall, where the
direction of the Coalition's work for the next year will
be determined.
Other opportunities to participate will be detailed in
the newsletter and quarterly steering committee minutes.
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WEOLCC Steering Committee
Janet Abrams, PsyD
Iyatunde Akunyun
Stuart Farber, MD (Chair)
Sharmon Figenshaw, RN (Vice Chair)
Sally Denton, RN
Therese Johnson, LMHC
Anne Koepsell, RN
Pete McGough, MD
Jeff Mero
Robb Miller
Representative Jim Moeller
Donna Oiland
William O. Robertson, MD
Jim Shaw MD
Pat Thibaudeau
Georganne Trandum, RN
Linda Wrede-Seaman, MD
Graham Short (staff)
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