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Maine Palliative Care and Quality of Life Advisory Council | Hospice Veteran Partnership of Maine
POLST Maine - Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment | Become a Member
The Maine Hospice Council exists to promote universal access to quality end of life care through innovation, creativity, education, advocacy and collaborations.
The Council provides education and technical assistance regarding end-of-life care, as well as advocacy for terminally ill and bereaved persons regarding quality end-of-life issues throughout the state.
From its beginning in 1984, the Maine Hospice Council has been the leading advocate, trainer, and educator for hospice care in Maine.
The Council Provides:
- Advocacy
- Policy Development
- Educational Workshops & Seminars
- Opportunities for Collaborative Programing
- Technical Assistance
Through The Following Methods:
- Press releases
- Consultation
- Public speaking
- Resource center
- Articles
- News Briefs
Programs & Collaborative Efforts Of The Maine Hospice Council
- Hospice/Veteran Partnership: HVP is a coalition involving individuals from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Maine Hospice Council and Center for End of Life Care, and community organizations working together to ensure that quality end-of-life care and palliative care is available for veterans and their families.
- Maine Hospice Council / NHPCO We Honor Veterans Trauma Informed Care Training: The Maine Hospice Council and Center for End of Life Care (MHC) has received one of 13 grants to work in partnership with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s “We Honor Veterans Program” (WHV) and the US Department of Veterans Affairs. The goal is to increase awareness of PTSD, Moral Injury and Suicide and subsequent impact on end of life and palliative care. This will be accomplished in partnership with community organizations, and our long-time partners at Togus VA Medical Center (TVAMC).
- Maine Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) Coalition: The POLST program translates patient preferences into actionable medical orders in order to ensure that a patient’s wishes are honored. The POLST paradigm is based on effective communication about goals of care for people with life-limiting illness or advanced frailty. POLST was first implemented in Oregon in 1991 and was designed to improve the quality of care people receive at the end of life. Several other states have developed statewide or regional POLST initiatives and as many as thirty states are involved in exploring POLST or developing programs. The Maine Hospice Council and Center for End-of-Life Care serves as the administrative home for POLST, based on a unanimous decision by the Maine State POLST coalition.
- The Maine Pain Initiative: Previously The Maine Cancer Pain Initiative, a committee of the Council “Committed to making cancer pain relief a reality for all people in Maine.” Since 1995, the MCPI has hosted forums to address pain and symptom management issues for health care professionals and consumers.
Maine Hospice Council: “Who We Are” Information Sheet Link
Palliative Care and Quality of Life Interdisciplinary Advisory Council
The Palliative Care and Quality of Life Interdisciplinary Advisory Council was passed into law in 2015, in order to address access to and quality of patient centered, family focused care in Maine. Comprehensive palliative care services are designed to prevent and treat suffering caused by a medical illness or condition.
What is the Hospice Veteran Partnership of Maine?
HVP is a coalition of people from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities and community organizations working together to ensure that quality end-of-life care is available and accessible for our nation’s veterans and their families. Our coalition is part of a national network of HVPs, established by the VA Hospice and Palliative Care Institute.
The Maine Hospice Council and Center for End-of-Life Care is the administrative home for the Maine State POLST Coalition, a broad-based coalition of providers and other stakeholders. POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) is an actionable medical order intended for those facing a terminal illness, or who are in an advanced state of medical frailty. POLST orders are not intended for general use among older adults. Healthy adults should have an Advance Directive on file in their medical record.
Click here to start or renew your Membership today
The Maine Hospice Council is a membership organization working to ensure the continued development of Hospice and Palliative Care in Maine. The Council provides education and technical assistance regarding end-of-life care, as well as advocacy for terminally ill and bereaved persons regarding quality-of-life care issues throughout the state.
