POLST Illinois TaskForce
University of Illinois Institute for Patient Safety Excellence
POLST Illinois Organization Request Letter
Dear Illinois Health Organization Leader:
An important effort to bring the POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) program to Illinois is
under way, and needs your help. POLST is a national best practice to elicit and document patient wishes for
end-of-life care and then translate them into actionable physician orders. Already adopted in 15 states and
under development in 28 others, POLST was enacted into Illinois law in June of 2011 with passage of PA-970382. This law mandates the development of a POLST-like document that can be used in lieu of the current
statutory Uniform Do Not Resuscitate order for patients nearing the final phase of life. That form is now under
IDPH review and we anticipate its release within weeks.
We need your organization’s support now so that we can launch a quality, state-wide outreach and
education campaign so that patients and providers alike can make the promise of POLST a reality for
seriously ill Illinoisans near the end of life.
POLST implementation in Illinois will bring the following benefits:
 A concrete mechanism (the document) to promote and guide physician/patient discussions about end-oflife wishes, whether for all care possible, limited treatment, or comfort care;
 A focus on patients whose death within 12-18 months would not be unexpected, assuring that recorded
preferences reflect current reality, not a hypothetical, unclear future;
 A method and form that will be understood and welcomed not just patients and families, but also by health
and long-term care providers, emergency medical personnel and others;
 A document that always transfers with the patient to other sites of care; and
 A comprehensive, statewide educational program for emergency medical personnel, healthcare and longterm care professionals and the public.
To implement a comprehensive educational effort as the new program launches in 2013, the volunteer-driven
POLST Illinois Task Force needs funding to develop webinars, provide technical assistance, formalize a
website with key resources, create training materials, and implement quality oversight measures. We have
received a small amount of private foundation support but will need additional revenue to assure a robust
statewide effort.
Please provide your organization’s support by contributing $250 if you are a small or local entity, $500 if you
are of moderate-size, or $750 or more if you are a large, statewide professional organization. All participating
organizations will be recognized on the POLST website and in all program communication. The University of
Illinois Foundation, within which the account for POLST-Illinois donations is housed, is a tax-deductible, 501-c3 entity. SEE REVERSE FOR DONATION OPTIONS. Let’s make sure that all Illinoisans with life-limiting
illness can express their wishes about end-of-life care and be comforted in knowing that their
preferences will be honored. Thank you.
OPTIONS FOR DONATING to POLSTIllinois at
University of Illinois’ Institute for Patient Safety Excellence:
1. To donate online:
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Go to https://www.uif.uillinois.edu/Gifts/StartGiving.aspx and
Under “I would like my donation allocated to the following specific fund,” enter your donation
amount and then click the box that says “other” and type the account code: “337746 IPSE
POLST Fund.”
Click continue.
Enter requested personal and credit card information and then click, “Process Gift.”
You will receive an electronic confirmation from this secure server.
To donate by check
Enter “337746 IPSE POLST Fund” into the memo line on your check
Address check to University of Illinois Foundation
Mail check to:
University of Illinois Foundation
1305 West Green Street
Urbana, IL 61801