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| July 19, 2011 | Volume 3, Number 3 |
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National POLST News
Grant Awarded for National Advancement of POLST
To support national POLST efforts, The Retirement Research Foundation has awarded a three-year grant to support intensive mentorship of developing POLST states. Health care leaders from five states with the most experienced POLST programs, including California, will assist five developing states in advancing their POLST programs. The funding also provides for awards to foster innovation in state POLST projects, as well as cross-state collaboration.
Save the Date for the National POLST Conference
California will be hosting the National POLST Conference, Partners in POLST: Efficacy and Innovation in Honoring Choices across Care Settings, in San Diego on February 16, 2012. Co-sponsors include CCCC, California HealthCare Foundation, AARP and Retirement Research Foundation. Come meet leaders from states working on POLST implementation as well as those developing POLST programs to network and share resources. Early registration will be available soon.
AARP Report on POLST
AARP funded a study by the American Bar Association to assess the challenges, barriers and facilitators of implementing POLST across the nation. California is one of the 12 states cited in the report, Improving Advanced Illness Care: The Evolution of State POLST Programs.
NHPCO Features POLST
POLST is on the agenda at the National Hospice and Palliative Care (NHPCO) Clinical Team Conference in October in San Diego. POLST was also featured in an article in NHPCO's Newsline newsletter in May.
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Evaluating POLST Quality and Utilization
Improving POLST Quality
CCCC continues to assess POLST quality in skilled nursing homes through chart audits and staff interviews. A follow up evaluation was just completed with SNFs in five POLST communities (Orange County, Sacramento, San Diego, San Fernando Valley, and Santa Clara) to compare results to prior audits conducted in August 2010. Preliminary data indicate a significant improvement in the accuracy of POLST forms being completed, and the efficacy of POLST processes within the SNF.
In addition, a survey is currently being conducted to determine POLST utilization in acute care hospitals. Data will be evaluated in the fall.
California POLST Registry
The California HealthCare Foundation has funded a study to determine the feasibility for developing an electronic POLST registry in California. Based on the feasibility study, an electronic registry is expected to be piloted in one region in California in 2012. In addition, a consultant has been engaged to write an article about the state of electronic POLST registries in other states, which will be available later this summer.
Record Number of POLST Forms Sold
With the revised POLST form being implemented April 1, 2011, it's no surprise there was a big demand for purchasing POLST forms. Between January 1 and May 31, 2011, over 100,000 POLST forms were purchased from Med-Pass by California POLST providers! The form may also be downloaded and printed from the California POLST website, and is available in several languages.
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POLST Education
POLST Curriculum Enhancements Underway
With the recent changes to the California POLST form, the standardized POLST curriculum will be updated. Leaders who have completed the two-day train-the-trainer program will receive notification of the changes.
The POLST physician curriculum is being reviewed and will be disseminated to POLST physician leaders in the fall.
A POLST curriculum for pediatric care teams is in development and will be pilot tested in the fall. Two pediatric POLST trainings will be offered in late 2011.
POLST Trainings
A POLST train-the-trainer program is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, September 15-16, 2011 in San Diego. Attendees learn about POLST and develop skills in having the POLST conversation with patients and families, as well as implementation strategies. Tuition is $169-$239 - register by September 1 to receive the early bird rate. Partial scholarships are available.
Regional POLST Liaisons Available to Support Coalitions
Two part-time POLST liaisons are available to support POLST efforts in the greater Los Angeles and San Francisco areas. Poonam Bhatla, Los Angeles, has 30 years of experience at UCLA at the Center for Humane and Ethical Care addressing end-of-life issues. Nadine Narita, San Francisco, has worked for 12 years as a hospice and palliative care nurse. The liaisons work collaboratively with the local coalitions to enhance education and quality improvement efforts.
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POLST In the News
POLST Across the Continuum of Care, ANA/C The Nursing Voice, July/August/September 2011
How to Start the Toughest Conversation of All, Santa Cruz Sentinel, July 18, 2011
Everybody Dies...But No One Talks About It, Sacramento News & Review, June 6, 2011
Law on End-of-Life Care Rankles Doctors, The New York Times, June 6, 2011
Why Planning Matters to Everyone but You, Napa Valley Register, May 7, 2011
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Newsletters are available at www.caPOLST.org in PDF format for anyone who is having trouble reading this email version.
The Coalition for Compassionate Care of California (CCCC) is a statewide collaboration of organizations - representing healthcare providers, consumers and regulatory agencies - working together to improve end-of-life and palliative care for all Californians. CCCC provides leadership and oversight for the implementaion of POLST in California, with support from the California HealthCare Foundation.
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