Respecting Choices and Honoring Choices Minnesota

We are delighted to announce Honoring Choices Massachusetts has partnered with Respecting Choices and Honoring Choices Minnesota, who serves as the convener of a national network of independent Honoring Choices. It’s a unique collaboration to help every individual across the nation have better access to high quality advance care planning tools.  Ellen DiPaola, President,Honoring Choices,…

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MA Allows Verbal Consent on MOLST

We are excited to announce that for the duration of the COVID-19 State of Emergency, the state has suspended the standard requirement of a written signature on a MOLST form and allows for verbal consent, to be reliably honored by all EMS personnel and licensed practitioners in hospitals, long-term care facilities and across all health…

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Update: MA Adopting National POLST Form & Process

I am so pleased to share some exciting news. The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) has informed the DPH MA MOLST Advisory Subcommittee that they received the Subcommittee’s recommendation to adopt the National POLST form and process for use in Massachusetts, and as a result, is in process of developing a multi-year…

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Working Together to Transform Advanced Illness

We are delighted to welcome the  Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC) as an Honoring Choices National Partner. C-TAC is dedicated to the ideal that all Americans with advanced illness receive comprehensive, high-quality, person- and family-centered care that is consistent with their goals and values and honors their dignity. We will achieve this by empowering…

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Just Launched: Care Dimensions Learning Institute

Care Dimensions, an Honoring Choices Community Partner, has just launched the Care Dimensions Learning Institute to deliver education, workshops and resources on end-of-life topics such as hospice and palliative care, bereavement, advance care planning, and living with advanced illness. The Learning Institute aims to educate a range of learning groups, including healthcare professionals, community members, patients,…

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Working To Improve & Standardize the Guardianship Process

The Guardianship Serious Illness-MOLST Advisory Committee (Guardianship Committee) is working diligently to ensure that all adults with serious illness, whether they have the capacity (ability) to make health care decisions or a Health Care Agent or Guardian is making decisions on their behalf, have equal access to high quality care all throughout their serious illness.…

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Care Dimensions Blog: Tips on Holiday Season Conversations

Care Dimensions, an Honoring Choices Community Partner, provides hospice and palliative care in 95 communities in Massachusetts.  Additionally, the Care Dimensions Learning Institute and the “Voices of Care” blog provide education and tips on a range of end-of-life topics.   Dr. Talia Lewis is a full-time hospice and palliative care physician who provides palliative care consultations…

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Baystate Health’s Patient Portal offers a Health Care Proxy & Personal Directive!

Baystate Health, an Honoring Choices Community Partner, and its Advance Care Planning team are leading the way to provide all patients with easy access to health care planning documents to direct their health care choices and receive quality care. Through my Baystate Health Patient Portal, patients can download and complete a free Honoring Choices Health…

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300 Ambassadors attend Fall 2019 Workshops Statewide!

Thank you to the Honoring Choices Partners and Regional Champions for hosting Health Care Planning Ambassador Workshops in 6 regions of the state. The Ambassador Workshops enhance the knowledge and skills of care providers, community professionals, nursing and medical students, and faith based and lay leaders to engage adults in care planning discussions and complete…

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A Gamechanger for Living Well with Serious Illness

We are at an exciting crossroads for improving the way we help adults live well with serious illness. Since Massachusetts joined the National POLST Paradigm in 2017, the MA MOLST (Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) Advisory Committee has been working diligently to bring our serious illness care and MOLST process into compliance with the national…

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