| The Greater Washington Partnership for Palliative and End-of-Life Care |
Comfort Care Order
DC COMFORT CARE ORDER PROGRAM
DC Law 13-224, Emergency Medical Services Non-Resuscitation Procedures Act of
2000, was passed in November 2000 and implemented in August 2006. The Act
establishes a formal protocol that allows physicians to write Comfort Care Orders
(CCO) -- DNR orders that will be respected outside of the hospital setting for patients
living in DC. The order is known as the Comfort Care Order because it allows
patients to opt to receive comfort care -- treatments that will help them to feel more
comfortable and improve their well-being by alleviating pain and other symptoms -- in
lieu of resuscitative procedures such as CPR.
The Greater Washington Partnership was instrumental in the development of the
Comfort Care Order. Members of the Partnership’s Public Policy Committee oversaw
and participated in the writing of the legislation, DC Law 13-224, that establishes the
Order. The Partnership also sponsored “Implementation Day,” which publicized the
Comfort Care Order on the day that it came into effect.
As part of its mission, the Partnership has been working with DOH and DC FEMS in
disseminating information about the Comfort Care Order since the law was enacted.
The Partnership coordinates trainings for health care professionals to increase
knowledge of the Comfort Care Order and how it is used.
To become involved in the Partnership's ongoing efforts to ensure that the DC
Comfort Care program is running optimally, please contact us or join our Professional
Education Committee or our Public Policy Committee.
Would you like to help us improve the Comfort Care Order program? Complete our
Comfort Care Order feedback form to share your personal experiences with the
Comfort Care Order with us, as well as your suggestions for how the program could
be altered to better serve DC residents. Please click here for a feedback form for
patients and families or click here for a feedback form for health care professionals.
Health care facilities: Learn more about our CCO training program here.
Consumers: please click here for more information about the Comfort Care Order
and how it affects you. Please click here for detailed instructions on how to obtain
and execute a Comfort Care Order.
Official Documents:
DC Law 13-224
Comfort Care Order Protocol
Sample copy of a Comfort Care Order
Instructions for obtaining a Comfort Care Order (for physicians)
For more information:
For more information about the DC Comfort Care Order, please review this brochure
from HEPRA or visit the HEPRA website. The Health Emergency Preparedness and
Response Administration with the DC Department of Health oversees the Comfort
Care Order program.
DC Law 13-224, Emergency Medical Services Non-Resuscitation Procedures Act of
2000, was passed in November 2000 and implemented in August 2006. The Act
establishes a formal protocol that allows physicians to write Comfort Care Orders
(CCO) -- DNR orders that will be respected outside of the hospital setting for patients
living in DC. The order is known as the Comfort Care Order because it allows
patients to opt to receive comfort care -- treatments that will help them to feel more
comfortable and improve their well-being by alleviating pain and other symptoms -- in
lieu of resuscitative procedures such as CPR.
The Greater Washington Partnership was instrumental in the development of the
Comfort Care Order. Members of the Partnership’s Public Policy Committee oversaw
and participated in the writing of the legislation, DC Law 13-224, that establishes the
Order. The Partnership also sponsored “Implementation Day,” which publicized the
Comfort Care Order on the day that it came into effect.
As part of its mission, the Partnership has been working with DOH and DC FEMS in
disseminating information about the Comfort Care Order since the law was enacted.
The Partnership coordinates trainings for health care professionals to increase
knowledge of the Comfort Care Order and how it is used.
To become involved in the Partnership's ongoing efforts to ensure that the DC
Comfort Care program is running optimally, please contact us or join our Professional
Education Committee or our Public Policy Committee.
Would you like to help us improve the Comfort Care Order program? Complete our
Comfort Care Order feedback form to share your personal experiences with the
Comfort Care Order with us, as well as your suggestions for how the program could
be altered to better serve DC residents. Please click here for a feedback form for
patients and families or click here for a feedback form for health care professionals.
Health care facilities: Learn more about our CCO training program here.
Consumers: please click here for more information about the Comfort Care Order
and how it affects you. Please click here for detailed instructions on how to obtain
and execute a Comfort Care Order.
Official Documents:
DC Law 13-224
Comfort Care Order Protocol
Sample copy of a Comfort Care Order
Instructions for obtaining a Comfort Care Order (for physicians)
For more information:
For more information about the DC Comfort Care Order, please review this brochure
from HEPRA or visit the HEPRA website. The Health Emergency Preparedness and
Response Administration with the DC Department of Health oversees the Comfort
Care Order program.
COMFORT CARE ORDER
LINKS
For health care professionals:
For patients and families:
Official documents:
Organizations:
LINKS
For health care professionals:
For patients and families:
Official documents:
Organizations: