What is POLST?
The Oregon Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) program is designed to assure that the medical treatment wishes expressed by the patient are honored by health care professionals as the patient moves from one health care setting to another.
The program was developed initially in Oregon in 1990 by a multi-professional task force convened by the Center for Ethics in health Care at Oregon Health & Science University. The voluntary use of the POLST document is intended to align medical treatments with the wishes of persons with advanced illness and frailty, and is expected to complement the advance directive, if one has been completed. The POLST program has been proven to be remarkably effective, so much so that 30 other states are following Oregon's lead and developing similar programs.
For more information, visit the national site at: www.polst.org or in Oregon: http://www.orpolstregistry.org/
What is the POLST Registry?
As Oregon's experience with the POLST program grew, first responders frequently were unable to find a patient's completed POLST form in a time of crisis. In response to this need, the Oregon POLST Registry was created as a public/private partnership with funding from private foundations to build the database and to educate the professional community.
In 2007, the Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 329 (State Health Fund Board), and in 2009 passed HB 2009 as part of Oregon's health care reform efforts, enabling Oregon to launch the nation's first 24-hour electronic POLST Registry on December 3, 2009. First responders and providers are able to call the registry from the field and be informed of a patient's POLST orders.
Oregon Administrative Rules Chapter 333, Division 270
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PRAC's Role
Senate Bill 329 also created a POLST Registry Advisory Committee (PRAC). The Committee is charged with advising the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) regarding the implementation, evaluation, and operation of the registry. The Committee also reviews research proposals to access Registry data and advise the OHA on whether access should be granted.
Using POLST and the Registry POLST Form
The POLST form and materials are available for order or download at: www.oregonpolst.org/polst-forms/ - Fax or eFax POLST forms to the Registry: 503-418-2161
PRAC Meetings
All meetings held at the Portland State Office Building, 800 NE Oregon Street, Portland, OR, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Get directions to the Portland State Office Building (pdf).
Upcoming Meetings
2013
Past Meetings
2012
2011
2010
2009
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Reports
Oregon POLST Registry November 2012: Data Report (PDF)
Oregon POLST Registry October 2012: Data Report (PDF)
Oregon POLST Registry September 2012: Data Report (PDF)
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Contact
POLST - 503-494-3965 / polst@ohsu.edu
POLST Registry - 503-418-4083 / toll free: 877-367-7657 / polstreg@ohsu.edu
POLST Registry Advisory Committee - Roster (pdf)