When should a POLST form be completed?
A health care professional, usually a doctor, nurse, or social worker, completes the form after having a conversation with the patient to understand his/her wishes and goals of care. Both a doctor and the patient must sign the POLST form in order for it to be valid.
What signatures are required on a POLST?
The POLST form is a medical order and must be signed by a physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant to be valid (depends on state law). Each form has a statement or attestation that the health care professional’s signature on the form indicates the orders on the form reflect the patient’s treatment wishes.
Does Oregon have a POLST form?
The 2019 Oregon POLST form (version 13) was made effective on January 2, 2019 and is the current version. The Oregon POLST Coalition requests all Oregon health systems to implement the use of the 2019 form when creating new orders.
How does a POLST work?
The Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form is a written medical order from a physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant that helps give people with serious illnesses more control over their own care by specifying the types of medical treatment they want to receive during serious illness.
What is the difference between an advance directive and a POLST form?
An advance directive is a direction from the patient, not a medical order. In contrast, a POLST form consists of a set of medical orders that applies to a limited population of patients and addresses a limited number of critical medical decisions.
Does POLST have to be pink?
It is recommended that POLST be copied on bright pink paper to help ensure that the document stands out and is followed. However, POLST on any color paper is valid.
Does POLST require patient signature?
1. Patient. The National POLST Paradigm strongly recommends, but does not require, the patient’s signature, attestation, or witnessed verbal consent on POLST Forms.
Can a POLST be signed electronically?
Can an out-of-state POLST form electronically signed be honored? Generally, yes, so long as it is valid (with required signatures and dates).
How do I order POLST forms?
You may download the form or call us at (916) 322-4336 to have the form mailed to you. If you wish to obtain a large supply, you should contact the CMA publications office directly, at 1(800) 882-1262 or the California Medical Association website.
Can family override a POLST?
Just as with DNR orders, family members generally cannot override a patient- and physician-signed POLST order. Accordingly, all efforts should be made to get patients, families, and providers on the same page before an acute event, to prevent confusion about the plan of care and distress for families and providers.
How is POLST different from DNR?
The primary difference between and POLST and DNR is that a POLST covers a variety of end-of-life treatments. A DNR only gives instructions about CPR. With a POLST, seniors can specify: If they do or don’t want CPR.
Does POLST require a witness?
Patient. The National POLST Paradigm strongly recommends, but does not require, the patient’s signature, attestation, or witnessed verbal consent on POLST Forms.
Can family override POLST?
Can a POLST be signed over the phone?
A detailed documentation of the phone call on a separate sheet can also be attached. Some healthcare providers may be hesitant to honor a POLST without a physical signature, so every effort should be made to replace the “verbal consent” POLST with one that has physical signatures as quickly as possible.
Does Polst require a witness?
What is the main difference between a POLST and an advance directive?
What is the purpose of the Oregon POLST registry?
The mission of the Oregon POLST Registry is to connect emergency health care professionals with their patients’ POLST orders to facilitate compassionate, desired health care during a crisis. We strive to increase accessibility to POLST orders to support continuity of care across health services platforms.
How do I submit a POLST form to the Oregon POLST registry?
It is the responsibility of the health care professional who completes the POLST form to submit it to the Oregon POLST Registry. They do this by following the directions for health care professionals found on the back of the form. A POLST form is sent to the POLST Registry, except when a patient chooses not to have it sent.
What is the POLST program?
What is POLST? What is the POLST Registry? What is POLST? The Oregon Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) program is designed to assure that the medical treatment wishes expressed by the patient are honored by health care professionals as the patient moves from one health care setting to another.
Who can sign a POLST form?
* “Doctor” refers to person, who can sign a POLST form. The POLST form needs the signature of a physician (MD or DO), nurse practitioner (NP), physician assistant (PA) or naturopathic doctor (ND). What is a POLST?