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  1. UAMS Health
  2. Patients and Guests
  3. Patient Support
  4. Hospital Admission
  5. Physician Order for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST)

Physician Order for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST)

A Physician Order for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form is an advance care plan that travels with a patient and addresses care that you would want today.

The Difference Between an Advance Care Directive and a POLST

A POLST form is…

  • For anyone with a serious illness.
  • For someone with a life expectancy of a year or less.
  • A way to communicate your treatment wishes based on your current condition.
  • Completed with a physician.
  • Able to be completed by a surrogate or legal representative.
  • A medical order that travels with you.

When you complete a POLST form with your physician, he/she discusses continued health care options with the patient and their family in the context of:

  • Diagnosis
  • Prognosis (the likely course of the illness)
  • Available treatment options
  • Burdens and benefits of available options
  • Patient goals and values

An Advance Directive is…

  • For anyone over 18.
  • A way to address your future care, not your current care.
  • Completed by the patient, and a physician is not required.
  • Unable to be completed by a healthcare surrogate or legal representative.
  • Not immediately translated into a medical order.

An advance directive is an appropriate document for many individuals. It does have limitations, however. It may not be available when needed in a health care setting, and may not be specific enough.

Learn More

POLST is for individuals with a serious illness, advanced frailty or life expectancy of a year or less. It acts as a portable medical order that travels with you. If you are healthy, an advance directive is appropriate. However, there are people who benefit greatly from a POLST form. The first step is to talk to your health care team if you would like a POLST form.

Learn More About POLST

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