Larry Griffin
Senator Jeff Brandes has filed a new bill, SB 228, that would create a Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) program in the Florida Department of Health.
The POLSTs are documents provided to specify directions on patients with terminal conditions.
Brandes’ bill establishes a laundry list of small rules and regulations to cement the way POLSTs should be used and regulated. Under his bill, the new department created would adopt rules for POLSTs, create a standardized form for one, provide an electronic version online, make sure staff receives updated training on dealing with the forms and implement a statewide process for identifying patients who have the forms and dealing with them properly.
The bill provides that POLST forms may not be treated as prerequisites for receiving treatment at medical care facilities. The new rules would make clear that an absence of a POLST form doesn’t mean medical professionals can withhold resuscitation or care.
