POLST

One major concern about being childless is not having someone watching over your health care.  Things can happen that we may not want to happen when we encounter a health care system with rigid guidelines on acceptable and unacceptable treatment.  Advanced Directives are one way to maintain control.  A POLST form extends that control one more level.  See below for a description of POLST and the difference between POLST and Advanced Directives.


From POLST.org:

The National POLST Paradigm Program is an approach to end-of-life planning that emphasizes patients’ wishes about the care they receive. The POLST Paradigm – which stands for Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment – is both a holistic method of planning for end-of-life care and a specific set of medical orders that ensure patients’ wishes are honored. The POLST Paradigm is built upon conversations between patients, loved ones, and health care professionals, during which patients can determine the extent of care they wish to receive. As a result of these conversations, patients may elect to create a POLST form, which translates their wishes into actionable medical orders. The POLST form assures patients that health care professionals will provide only the care that patients themselves wish to receive, and decreases the frequency of medical errors.

Does a POLST form replace the Advance Directive?

The POLST form complements the Advance Directive and is not intended to replace it. An Advance Directive is necessary to appoint a legal health care representative and provide instructions forfuture life-sustaining treatments. The Advance Directive is recommended for all adults, regardless of their health status.

A POLST form should accompany an Advance Directive when appropriate.  For more information go to: www.caringinfo.org.

What are the primary differences between an Advance Directive and a POLST form?

ADVANCE DIRECTIVE

• For anyone 18 and older
• Provides instructions for future treatment
• Appoints a Health Care Representative
• Does not guide Emergency Medical Personnel
• Guides inpatient treatment decisions when made available

POLST

• For persons with serious illness — at any age
• Provides medical orders for current treatment
• Guides actions by Emergency Medical Personnel when made available
• Guides inpatient treatment decisions when made available