SB 474 Summary

• Establishes the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) Program within the Department of Health to develop standardized forms for patients with end-stage conditions or life-limiting medical conditions expected to result in death within one year.

• Requires POLST forms to be voluntarily executed by patients or their legal representatives with physician consultation, include physician attestation of patient decision-making capacity, expire within one year, and prohibit directives regarding hydration or preselection of decisions.

• Creates the Clearinghouse for Compassionate and Palliative Care Plans by January 1, 2019, as a secure electronic database managed by the Agency for Health Care Administration to store and provide access to end-of-life documents including POLST forms, advance directives, and do-not-resuscitate orders.

• Authorizes healthcare personnel including emergency medical technicians, paramedics, hospice staff, home health agency personnel, and assisted living facility staff to withhold or withdraw cardiopulmonary resuscitation when presented with valid POLST forms containing such orders, with immunity from criminal prosecution and civil liability.

• Prohibits healthcare facilities from requiring POLST forms as a condition of treatment or admission, specifies that most recently signed advance directives take precedence in conflicts, and declares POLST forms invalid if executed in exchange for payment or remuneration.