What is POLST or Advanced Directive?

Do you know the difference between a POLST & Advance Directives? Although they both play a role in communicating a patient’s wishes, they are NOT the same thing. At True Care Health Services, our clinicians are thoroughly knowledgeable in educating our patients regarding these documents and ways to complete them if desired. With True Care Home Health, our goal is to make sure your wishes are clear and known which is why we take the extra time to educate all our patients thoroughly regarding Advanced Directives and POLST. With Home health being a possible transition to hospice we do our best to identify the form to abide by to fulfill patient wishes. Without one or the other, there is a possibility that family tension and dynamics may arise if not discussed on time.

We are dedicated to assisting anyone under our services who needs clarification of these forms. A POLST (Physicians Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) in California is a medical order that communicates a patient’s wishes of what types of medical treatments they would want based on their prognosis. This could include CPR, feeding tubes, and artificial airways. Patient’s considered to have serious life-threatening medical conditions or frailty should ideally complete this form.

In contrast, an Advanced Directive is a legal document that all adults, healthy or chronically ill, should complete. It appoints a person to make decisions for the individual in the event of an unexpected accident or other event leaving the individual incapacitated and unable to make their own decisions. The document gives guidance to the decision-maker of what types of care are desired, especially in end-of-life care predicaments. Patient’s at any stage of life are encouraged to complete this form, because in case you are involved in an unexpected accident, it will leave clear instructions to your decision-maker what you want done, without placing the burden on them to decide for you.