The California Emergency Management Systems Agency (EMSA), in close collaboration with CCCC, continues to move the California electronic POLST Registry forward.
PAL Process Status
The State of California has a specific and structured process that large information technology (IT) projects go through called the Project Approved Lifecycle (PAL). PAL requires all IT projects to go through four stages. As we reported in April, the POLST Registry is in Stage 2, Alternatives Analysis, as the state conducts market research.
Authorization of Electronic Signatures
California policymakers enacted a $308 billion state budget for the current fiscal year effective July 1, 2022. Enactment of the budget is followed by annual passage of “budget trailer bill” language that supports budget appropriations. Last year’s budget trailer bill enacted the POLST eRegistry Act. This year’s budget trailer bill is expected to include “clean up language” to the Act that will authorize electronic signatures on POLST and advance directives.
CCCC is working closely with Assembly Member Dr. Arambula to ensure these critical provisions authorizing electronic signatures are included in this year’s budget trailer bill.
National Standards for Interoperability of ACP Information
In collaboration with National POLST, CCCC has worked to develop a national standard for electronic capture and communication of POLST information. This effort includes development of an implementation guide, being finalized now, to outline steps on how to use the standard to represent the content of the California POLST form. We anticipate the implementation guide will be published shortly.
CCCC is now working with California stakeholders to pursue pilot testing of the implementation guide.
A parallel effort is underway with respect to electronic exchange of advance directive information. At this point, this parallel effort is not in sync with the POLST standards that have been developed. CCCC continues to look for opportunities and leverage points to bring this parallel effort into alignment with the POLST standards.
Support for the POLST Environment
CCCC is in contract negotiations with the State to develop a scope of work for the funds the Legislature allocated to support the POLST environment and quality.