Act 186 makes POLST the law in Hawaii

"There is a lot going on now with hospice and palliative care in Hawai'i," writes Jeannette Koijane, executive director of Kokua Mau. "POLST, Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment, became law in Hawaii on July 15, 2009 as Act 186."

Kokua Mau is the lead agency for implementation of POLST in Hawaii. "We have created a designated website for POLST related information, www.kokuamau.org/professionals/polst," she said, "where you can download the 'POLST Form' and the 'Provider's Guide to POLST.' The POLST form is free and please keep in mind that it should be printed two-sided on lime green paper (More about that on our website.)."

Kokua Mau is creating a "Consumer's Guide to POLST" that will be posted soon on their web site. If your organization would like to have a speaker about POLST, contact its speaker's bureau, and its newsletters, http://kokuamau.org/resources/kokua-mau-newsletters, are available by email.