Make Your Medical Wishes Known Through A POLST Directive
Oregon joined California and four other states in making it easier for people who are seriously ill make their wishes known about end-of life care by developing a database that first responders can check electronically during an emergency. At least two other states are developing such a system which seems to be a growing trend in our increasingly paperless society.
I wrote recently about the importance of getting your affairs in order while you are still of sound mind, pointing to Shary Farr's company Partners for Transitions in Carmel, which can help set up an Advanced Health Care Directive (AHCD) which will include a new form called a Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST). It's important to make your wishes known for end-of-life care.
A typical appoints someone to make medical decisions when you are unable to, as well as giving guidance as to how far you want physicians to go to keep you alive. POLST takes this one step further as it is actually signed by the Doctor, and a hospital or other facility can use it as doctors orders so there is no confusion as to what should be done in a life-threatening emergency medical situation.
For medical interventions, you can choose 'comfort measures only, limited additional interventions (with a choice of do not transfer to a hospital for medical interventions) or full treatment. For artificially administered nutrition, it gives the choice of no artificial nutrition by tube, defined trial period of artificial nutrition by tube, or long-term artificial nutrition by tube. For a copy of the California POLST form, click here. If you live in another state, just type the name of your state and POLST into the search box, and you should have no problem finding it.
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal pointed out that you can take this one step further, making your wishes part of an online database available to ambulances, the fire department and others which may need to know how you wish to be treated in a medical emergency. "Paper forms are sometimes overlooked or lost. The electronic systems aim to make the information in these form--such as whether a patient wants a feeding tube or even to be taken to a hospital at all--more readily available to an emergency worker, through a phone call or the Internet," says the article written by Sarah Murray.
My company, Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey goes out to potential new Clients to do an in-depth assessment, and this includes assessing the lifestyle, medical conditions and the kind of private duty assistance needed that will help a person remain independent in their own home. It also takes note of who the doctors are, who to call in an emergency, and whether there is an Advanced Health Care Directive in place.
These all go into a care plan book, where notes are made daily about the individual's progress, physically, mentally and emotionally. This is easily accessible by the family during an emergency, where they can quickly find important information such as whether or not their loved one has been on a downward slide physically, or conversely had been doing quite well.
Even with the digital system in place, it's important to have a copy of the signed document that can be accessed in case there are any questions regarding how a person should be treated as they approach the end of their lives. Family members often have differing opinions on this and it is important that your wishes are followed, not the wishes of a family member.
This information can be critical for hospital admissions staff in determining what treatment is needed. Advanced Health Care Directives can be controversial, with some opponents likening them to enabling assisted suicide. "It will, in the long run, be a huge tool to hasten death," Elizabeth Wickman, executive director for LifeTree Inc., told the Wall Street Journal.
The other side of the argument, however, which I agree with, is that it's your life and you should be treated with dignity and respect in your final days. People have very differing views on how far they want life sustaining measures to be taken, and they need to make them known. When the time comes, you may not be able to verbally express these wishes so it is important to get them in writing and somewhere easily accessible so first responders have immediate access to them.
http://www.familyinhomecaregiving.com/blog/index.html?entry=transitioning-into-your-golden-years
[http://www.scanhealthplan.com/documents/cme/CA-POLST-form-web_english.pdf]
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704610904576031740528446836.html
I wrote recently about the importance of getting your affairs in order while you are still of sound mind, pointing to Shary Farr's company Partners for Transitions in Carmel, which can help set up an Advanced Health Care Directive (AHCD) which will include a new form called a Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST). It's important to make your wishes known for end-of-life care.
A typical appoints someone to make medical decisions when you are unable to, as well as giving guidance as to how far you want physicians to go to keep you alive. POLST takes this one step further as it is actually signed by the Doctor, and a hospital or other facility can use it as doctors orders so there is no confusion as to what should be done in a life-threatening emergency medical situation.
For medical interventions, you can choose 'comfort measures only, limited additional interventions (with a choice of do not transfer to a hospital for medical interventions) or full treatment. For artificially administered nutrition, it gives the choice of no artificial nutrition by tube, defined trial period of artificial nutrition by tube, or long-term artificial nutrition by tube. For a copy of the California POLST form, click here. If you live in another state, just type the name of your state and POLST into the search box, and you should have no problem finding it.
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal pointed out that you can take this one step further, making your wishes part of an online database available to ambulances, the fire department and others which may need to know how you wish to be treated in a medical emergency. "Paper forms are sometimes overlooked or lost. The electronic systems aim to make the information in these form--such as whether a patient wants a feeding tube or even to be taken to a hospital at all--more readily available to an emergency worker, through a phone call or the Internet," says the article written by Sarah Murray.
My company, Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey goes out to potential new Clients to do an in-depth assessment, and this includes assessing the lifestyle, medical conditions and the kind of private duty assistance needed that will help a person remain independent in their own home. It also takes note of who the doctors are, who to call in an emergency, and whether there is an Advanced Health Care Directive in place.
These all go into a care plan book, where notes are made daily about the individual's progress, physically, mentally and emotionally. This is easily accessible by the family during an emergency, where they can quickly find important information such as whether or not their loved one has been on a downward slide physically, or conversely had been doing quite well.
Even with the digital system in place, it's important to have a copy of the signed document that can be accessed in case there are any questions regarding how a person should be treated as they approach the end of their lives. Family members often have differing opinions on this and it is important that your wishes are followed, not the wishes of a family member.
This information can be critical for hospital admissions staff in determining what treatment is needed. Advanced Health Care Directives can be controversial, with some opponents likening them to enabling assisted suicide. "It will, in the long run, be a huge tool to hasten death," Elizabeth Wickman, executive director for LifeTree Inc., told the Wall Street Journal.
The other side of the argument, however, which I agree with, is that it's your life and you should be treated with dignity and respect in your final days. People have very differing views on how far they want life sustaining measures to be taken, and they need to make them known. When the time comes, you may not be able to verbally express these wishes so it is important to get them in writing and somewhere easily accessible so first responders have immediate access to them.
http://www.familyinhomecaregiving.com/blog/index.html?entry=transitioning-into-your-golden-years
[http://www.scanhealthplan.com/documents/cme/CA-POLST-form-web_english.pdf]
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704610904576031740528446836.html
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