News

Inspired by recent study, Divinity School panelists explore the spiritual side of health care. Making patients feel psychologically safe about discussing their spirituality is key, said panelist Anna Gosline, executive director of the Massachusetts Coalition for Serious Illness Care.

Another big step for the transition to a MA POLST Program - RFR for electronic registry released! You might have noticed, but in case you missed it, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, on behalf of the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA), Department of Public Health, and the Mass HIway has issued a Request for Responses (RFR) to procure a vendor to implement, maintain, and support the Massachusetts ePOLST registry. The Coalition will be holding a virtual event on Friday, March 17th from 11am- 12pm ET to give you a broader sense of what’s happening with the transition from MOLST to POLST and answer any questions.

We're thrilled to announce our Nursing Resources website, which was developed by our Nursing Taskforce Resources Workgroup. They identified and vetted resources for faculty to incorporate into teaching materials. From case studies to podcasts, journal articles to videos, most of the resources are free and we provide recommendations on how to bring them into the classroom, exam room, and patient room. Join us for a webinar to learn about navigating the website and we'll share some of our favorite resources on Tues, 2/28, 12-12:45pm ET on Zoom.

In case you missed it, MessageLab launched the Serious Illness Messaging Toolkit with evidence-based messaging for serious illness care. What evidence is it based on? It's based, in part, on our Coalition's consumer research! The Toolkit has FREE resources for you to download, including specific language that's been tested with consumers to talk about palliative care, hospice, and advance care planning. It also features stories, worksheets, quick start guides, and more!

One of our newest Coalition members, Prisoners' Legal Services of Massachusetts, is leading the effort to build a Massachusetts a state chapter of MJA and is looking for clinicians to join the local network.

We’re excited to share the news that Governor Baker recently signed Bill H.5374 “An Act Relating to Economic Growth and Relief for the Commonwealth,” which included language authorizing the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) to lead and administer the update of the Massachusetts MOLST program to a POLST (Portable Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment) Program aligned with national standards, including the development of a POLST e-Registry.

The Massachusetts Coalition for Serious Illness Care (Coalition) today announced at its 7th Annual Summit that Michael Curry, Esq., president and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, has joined its advisory board. A distinguished civic and public health leader with a commitment to reducing health inequities, Curry will play a key role in advancing the Coalition’s efforts and driving equity in serious illness care.

Are you ready? The Summit's on Thursday, November 3, 2022 from 1:00 to 3:30pm ET. Join us for this free and virtual session with amazing speakers including Andrew Dreyfus, Maureen Bisognano, and Michael Curry!

Join us for the Seventh Annual Summit of the Massachusetts Coalition for Serious Illness Care. We'll be sharing about the Coalition's strategic direction and partnerships underway, as well as highlighting several models for elevating community and connection in serious illness care.