Page 2 - 2018HospiceHighlights

POLST Legislation Gains Support, Poised for Passage in 2019-20

The Pennsylvania Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) is a tool for translating patients’ goals for treatment into
medical orders at the end of life. However, legislation is needed to empower healthcare providers such as EMTs to

recognize and honor a patient’s POLST when life-sustaining care is needed. Without “codifying” POLST in this way, the
patient risk s having his or her final wishes disregarded by caregivers or physicians, or changed at the last minute by
concerned family members.

A broad coalition of healthcare providers and community stakeholders, including PHA, has been working for years to

develop legislation in Pennsylvania that would elevate the power of POLST and ensure the patient’s wishes are followed.

Key stakeholders in this group include the Hospital and Healthsystem of Pennsylvania, Catholic Conference, LeadingAge
PA, Jewish Foundation for Quality End of Life, College of Emergency Physicians, and County Nursing Homes. This

legislation was finally introduced in 2018 and started making its way through the legislative process before the two-year
legislative session ended.

PHA members reached out to their local legislators to discuss the importance of

protecting patient preferences at the end of life. Advocacy will continue in the new
legislative session in 2019 when the legislation is reintroduced.

PHA Staves Off State Hospice Regulations for Another Year

When Governor Wolf took office in 2015, he announced plans to update all regulations for licensed healthcare facilities,

including hospices. Today, surveyors from the Department of Health (DOH) adhere to the federal Medicare Conditions
of Participation (CoPs) when examining a hospice’s licensure compliance, but the Wolf Administration would like to

develop state regulations, which might not mirror the federal CoPs. PHA shared this concern with DOH officials,

explaining that the draft regulations that were flawed and would place additional administrative requirements on
providers if implemented. Since then, the department has not moved this draft forward in the regulatory process thanks

to the efforts of PHA and our members in explaining that the current practice works very well to protect patient rights
and quality of care and it should not be disturbed with state regulations. This advocacy will continue into Gov. Wolf’s

second term in office.

Pennsylvania Providers Stand Out among Peers on Hospice Compare

Measure PA National
Average Average
Beliefs & Values Addressed (if desired by the patient) 96.4 95.3
Dyspnea Screening 98.8 97.9
Dyspnea Treatment 95.2 95.6
Pain Screening 96.1 95.9
Pain Assessment 86.3 85.5
Treatment Preferences 99.4 98.8
Patient Treated with Opioid Who Are Given a Bowel Regimen 96.4 93.8

Hospice and Palliative Care Composite Process Measure 86.3 83.6