What does POLST mean in PHYSIOLOGY

A POLST (Physician’s Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) form is a medical document that outlines an individual’s preferences regarding medical treatment in the event of a life-threatening illness or injury. It functions as an order from your physician to the healthcare team, and it can be completed after discussion between you, your doctor and any other health care providers who will be involved in your care.

Generally, if you are 18 years or older and have been diagnosed with a serious illness or long-term condition, you may want to consider completing a POLST form. It is also recommended that those who are facing end-of-life decisions fill out a POLST form. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide when to complete the form.

Talk with your healthcare provider about completing a POLST form and what specific treatments and interventions you would prefer in medical emergencies. Your healthcare provider will provide your state's specific version of the POLST document to fill out and sign. After signing, you must make sure all of your healthcare professionals have copies of the document for their records.

Your primary care physician should keep a copy of your POLST form on file, as well as any other health care providers responsible for carrying out its instructions if needed. In some cases, it may also be beneficial to provide copies of the document to family members and close friends so they are aware of your end-of-life wishes.

You always have the right to change or revoke any part of your POLST at any time by informing both your healthcare provider and any involved family member or friend that you have changed or revoked certain parts of the document. It is recommended that after making changes to the document, you make sure that all copies are updated with these changes.

Without having this legal documentation filled out beforehand, doctors would look toward family members for decision-making regarding medical treatment in serious situations where patient autonomy might be impaired due to their condition. This could potentially lead into disagreements between family members which could result in court battles over patient care decisions.

Yes; once both parties (the patient and their attending physician) sign off on all sections of the document, it becomes legally binding according to most state laws recognizing such documents under advance directives.

No; though having legal counsel review the content may be beneficial prior to signing off on final copies of this document, it isn’t typically required by law.