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59
MAY / JUN 2012
Healthcare Journal of baton rouge
Coalition is led by SusanNelson, MD, FACP,
FAAHPM, Senior Services Medical Director
for the FranciscanMissionaries of Our Lady
Health System.
The LaPOST document is recommended
for patients with a life-limiting and irrevers-
ible condition and with a life expectancy
of less than a year. It takes effect when the
patient is unable to communicate his or
her own wishes. The patient can choose to
change or revoke the document at any time.
Because it is a physician order, health care
professionals must comply with the speci-
fied treatment. A key benefit is that the
document travels with the patient through-
out the health systemwith clear and concise
instructions.
“The changes that I see with the use of
the LaPOST document involve improve-
ment in communication of physicians and
other health care professionals with their
patients,” says Nelson. “Physicians fre-
quently have conversations with their pa-
tients about the type of care that they want
for serious illnesses and especially when
those illnesses are not curable. While there
have been living wills available, they have
been limited in their usefulness as they
have been difficult to quickly interpret, im-
plement or find. This allows physicians and
patients to clarify and document the type
of care desired when diagnosed with a life-
limiting and irreversible condition.”
She adds the impact LaPOST will have
on physicians and other health care profes-
sionals “is that goals and type of care de-
sired will be documented and go with the
patient wherever the patient goes in the
health care systemor in their community. It
will give guidance and orders to emergency
personnel on how to respond in an emer-
gency situation. LaPOST will affect Louisi-
LaPOST
Coalition
Members
w
CHRISTUS Health System
w
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady
Health System
w
Governor’s Office of Elderly Affairs
w
Gulf States Association of Homes &
Service for the Aging
w
Homecare Association of Louisiana
w
Louisiana Chapter of National
Association of Social Workers
w
Louisiana Health Care Quality Forum
w
Louisiana Department of Health and
Hospitals
w
Emergency Medical Services
w
Legal Services
w
Office of Aging and Adult Services
w
Office for Citizens with Developmental
Disability
w
Louisiana Hospital Association
w
Louisiana-Mississippi Hospice and
Palliative Care Organization
w
Louisiana Nursing Home Association
w
Louisiana State Coroners Association
w
Louisiana State Medical Society
w
Attorneys from Louisiana State Bar
Association (Elder Law)
w
Physicians representing Baton Rouge
General Medical Center, CHRISTUS
Health System, Franciscan Missionaries
of Our Lady Health System, LSU Health
Sciences Center, Ochsner Health
System, Tulane Medical Center, and VA
Hospital
ana residents by providing a mechanism to
have their health care wishes and goals of
care honored wherever they go.”
The LaPOST Coalition, through the Fo-
rum, is working withmedical organizations,
physiciangroups, hospitals, andother health
care professional organizations to educate
and develop policies regarding use of the
document. Education programs are also of-
fered in professional schools.The Forumhas
partnered with several organizations, in-
cluding the Louisiana Hospital Association,
Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians,
and Louisiana State Medical Society, to
provide statewide on-site training sessions
with Continuing Medical Education (CME)
credit for physicians and Continuing Edu-
cation Units (CEUs) for nurses and nursing
home administrators. In addition, Nelson is
a speaker at meetings throughout the state
for long-term care facilities, social workers,
hospice, and palliative care associations.
The Forum is developing online train-
ing with CME/CEU credits for both nurses
and physicians. These electronic education
sessions will reside on the LaPOST website
and offer participants the flexibility of en-
rolling for training when it is conducive to
their schedule. There are plans for expand-
ing the online education to social workers
and other health care professionals. By this
summer, a consumer awareness program
will launch.
For more information visit www.la-post.
org. The site has many valuable tools for
health care professionals, including sample
policies, a handbook for health care profes-
sionals, and video sessions for caregivers,
patients, and health care professionals.
Cindy Munn is the Executive Director of the
Louisiana Health Care Quality Forum
The Coalition is led by Susan Nelson, MD,
FACP, FAAHPM, Senior Services Medical
Director for the Franciscan Missionaries of
Our Lady Health System.