Submissions to the Oregon POLST Registry have declined by nearly 40% during the coronavirus pandemic. Therefore, the following standards have been established to facilitate virtual/by phone POLST form completion:
1. Verbal Orders (following institutional verbal order procedures) are valid and accepted by EMS and the Registry.
2. The Patient or Surrogate Signature is not required on the Oregon POLST form. It is necessary to indicate with whom the POLST form was discussed (Section C).
3. Photocopies of POLST Forms on white paper are valid.
4. Health Care Professionals can download a blank POLST form from the Oregon POLST website to print.See details on our Professional Resources webpage.
COVID-19 and Particularly Vulnerable People:
A Patient Advocate Perspective
COVID-19 is impacting the lives of everyone worldwide, but there are those who are particularly vulnerable. How can we think about our response ethically and as members of the human race?
Melissa Monner, MS - Associate Director of the OHSU Center for Ethics in Health Care and Manager of OHSU Patient Relations considers these issues in these challenging times.
