Health & Benefits

What is a POLST?

POLST stands for "Practitioner Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment." The POLST is an updated version of a Do Not Resuscitate Order.  It is a medical order, signed by a patient and their doctor (or other health care provider). It says which treatments you want or don't want in the event of a life threatening emergency illness or condition. 

A POLST helps you tell your healthcare providers what care you want. A POLST plays an important part in one’s overall end-of-life care plan. 

Is a POLST the same as a Living Will or a Power of Attorney?

A POLST is a medical order, signed by the patient and their health care provider.  It is not intended to be a substitute for an Illinois Living Will Declaration.  A Living Will is a statement declaring you do not want “death delaying procedures” if you are terminally ill.  

A POLST is not a substitute or replacement for a Power of Attorney for Healthcare. A Power of Attorney says who will make healthcare decisions if you are unable to. A POLST can give instructions for the person with power of attorney.

Who should have a POLST?

A POLST is intended for people at the “end of life.” This includes patients with degenerative illnesses. It also includes patients who are living with dementia and may lose the ability to make their own decisions. "End of life" is the last year or so of life. You can revoke a POLST at any time. 

A POLST is a medical order, but is voluntary. You can not be forced to make a POLST. You can not be denied health care for not making a POLST. A facility can not require you to make a POLST before admitting you.

What is included in a POLST?

A POLST creates instructions for medical providers. It also keeps any decision-makers, such as your power of attorney, informed. POLST allows patients to determine, prior to the time when the decisions need to be made:

• Whether CPR would be attempted, 
• What medical interventions may be authorized, such as full treatment, selective treatment, comfort-focused treatment, and
• What medically administered nutrition would be authorized, such as long-term medically administered nutrition, including gastro tubes, trial period for medically administered nutrition or no medically administered nutrition.

A patient can choose to receive only comfort care, such as pain medication and oxygen.

How do you get a POLST? 

Start by talking to your health care provider. While Powers of Attorney and Living Will Declarations can be made any time, even years before they are needed, a POLST is more limited. 

A POLST is a medical order. It must be signed by: 

• you or your legal representative, such as an Agent under a Power of Attorney for Healthcare, and 
• by a qualified health care practitioner. 

The practitioner can be a physician, a licensed medical resident, a physician assistant, or an advanced practice nurse. 

Where do you keep a POLST?

A POLST is kept with you so that emergency personnel can follow your wishes during a medical emergency outside of the hospital. Copies should also be given to all of your health care providers. Someone close to you should keep a photo of your POLST on their phone. 

If you would like to learn more or download a copy of the POLST form, you can visit POLST Illinois.