UPDATE: SB3076 Illinois Physician's Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment [POLST] bill and amendment are now in the Health Care Licenses Committee and were not called on Wednesday but will be heard NEXT WEEK. Now is the time to have your voice heard. Follow this link to fill out an Electronic Witness Slip (no registration needed): http://my.ilga.gov/WitnessSlip/Create/79472?committeeHearingId=11952&LegislationId=79472&CommitteeHearings-page=1&_=1399323889924
For the "Firm/Business or Agency" field enter "Illinois Federation for Right to Life" and for the "Title" field enter "Concerned Citizen".
In the position section, under "Original Bill" select "Opponent" and for "HCA 1" select "No Position On Merits".
Here is why we oppose this bill...
The Illinois Physician's Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment or "POLST" form, which gives no distinctions for terminal and non-terminal conditions, is more for removing "life-sustaining" treatment than for protecting patients with "life-sustaining" treatment. SB 3076 would change the long-standing relationship of doctor and patient in matters of end-of-life decisions by having nurses and even less qualified physician's assistants talk to patients about these decisions and authorize "actionable medical orders" including "do-no-resuscitate" orders even in non-terminal situations.
A patient who signs a POLST form can check a box "do-not-attempt-resuscitation" if he/she stops breathing and the pulse stops. This is an "actionable medical order" to do nothing even if CPR would clearly be called for in a medical situation. For example, an allergic reaction to a medication can stop the breathing and pulse, but most patients would want to have CPR. The POLST form says NO.
Also, many elderly and frail patients may not understand the various options available to them with a POLST form, and so should have better education and options that the POLST form does not give.
Pro-Life has broad concerns with the POLST forms. One clear concern is that private foundations that have put their money into promoting POLST have also given large amounts of money to the Euthanasia organizations.
Again, now is the time to have your voice heard, follow this link to fill out an Electronic Witness Slip: http://my.ilga.gov/WitnessSlip/Create/79472?committeeHearingId=11952&LegislationId=79472&CommitteeHearings-page=1&_=1399323889924
