Bill > SF2418

This bill establishes a statewide Provider Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) program administered by the Minnesota Commissioner of Health, designed to help ensure patients' end-of-life medical treatment preferences are honored. The program includes creating a POLST registry where healthcare providers can submit and access Provider Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment, which are medical orders documenting a patient's wishes for life-sustaining treatment. The registry will be accessible through multiple methods, including a web portal, a 24/7 call center, and electronic health records, and will be available to authorized users like emergency medical responders, healthcare professionals, and medical facilities. Importantly, patients or their legal representatives can choose not to participate in the registry, revoke their POLST, or remove it from the system at any time. The bill defines key terms like "life-sustaining treatment" (medical procedures that maintain life) and establishes privacy protections, ensuring that registry data is classified as private and not subject to subpoenas or civil discovery. The Minnesota POLST Steering Committee will provide education and advice on POLST forms and procedures, and individuals who submit or act on POLST information in good faith are granted legal immunity. The program is set to be fully implemented by January 1, 2026, with an initial appropriation of $500,000 for registry establishment and an additional $100,000 for education and training.

Health and Social Services

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate&f=SF2418&ssn=0&y=2025