National POLST

POLST is always voluntary and should be available to all seriously ill or frail individuals.

Honoring the wishes of those with advanced illness or frailty using portable medical orders (POLST forms) and promoting shared-decision making about treatments. National POLST improves the quality of care for patients who are seriously ill or frail by creating a system that elicits, documents and honors patient medical treatment wishes through portable medical orders. POLST is part of advance care planning, a process that includes conversations between patients and health care professionals about goals of care and quality of life. Everyone is encouraged to complete an advance directive but recognize its limitation: advance directives are not medical orders so emergency personnel cannot follow guidance provided in an advance directive during a medical emergency. Instead, once the patient is in the hospital and stabilized, the health care team works with the surrogate identified in the advance directive and reviews the patient’s wishes to develop a treatment plan. With a POLST form, the treatment plan is developed in advance and moved upstream; the medical orders on the form give clear instructions to emergency personnel about whether the patient wanted CPR and whether they wanted to go to the hospital or remain where they are.

01/29/2026

Myth: All advance care planning documents serve the same purpose.

Fact: Different documents serve different needs.

Explanation:
POLST applies to current medical decisions for people with serious illness or frailty, while advance directives and living wills typically guide future care.

Clarity helps support care that aligns with a person’s goals.

01/27/2026

Join Us in New Orleans!

2026 National POLST Collaborative Conference: Convening to Improve Serious Illness Care

The National POLST Collaborative invites you to join us in person for a full day of learning, discussion, and connection focused on advancing serious illness care.

📍 Benson Tower | New Orleans, LA
📅 Thursday, April 16, 2026
⏰ 10:00 am – 3:30 pm CDT
🤝 Networking Event: 4:00 – 6:00 pm (location TBD)

Agenda highlights include national updates, guidance on the new POLST form, portability progress, and practical ideas you can use right away.

More information and registration: https://conta.cc/4k6NfBC

We look forward to welcoming you to New Orleans for an engaging and impactful conference.

01/27/2026

Supporting patients starts with clear, accessible information.

The POLST Frequently Asked Questions for Patients page addresses common questions about POLST, helping patients and families better understand when POLST is used and how it fits into serious illness care.

Providers can share this resource to support informed discussions.

Explore the FAQs: https://polst.org/frequently-asked-questions-for-patients/

01/26/2026

📰 January 2026 Quarterly Newsletter is here!

The National POLST Collaborative is off to a strong start in 2026. In our latest newsletter, we share:

- Key milestones from a transformative 2025
- Updates to the National POLST Form and guidance
- Committee progress across education, research, and policy
- Insights from our recent member feedback survey
- A save-the-date for our April 16, 2026 in-person convening in New Orleans

Thank you to our members and partners for your continued collaboration as we advance POLST nationwide.

👉 Read the full newsletter to see what’s ahead: https://conta.cc/45JFbQX

01/20/2026

Healthcare providers play a key role in guiding POLST conversations about the kind of care you want when faced with a serious illness.

Clear, consistent language helps patients and families understand treatment options and align care with their goals.

Our Resources Library offers educational tools, legal guidance, and research to support providers in these conversations.

Explore resources: https://polst.org/resources/

01/14/2026

Accurate representation of serious illness care matters.

In a recent episode of The Pitt, viewers saw a POLST form used to guide care for a patient transferred from an assisted living facility. The episode highlighted that POLST is a medical order, clarified that DNR does not mean “do not treat,” and demonstrated how documented goals can inform treatment decisions.

Thank you to the writers and clinicians who help bring clarity and accuracy to conversations about serious illness care.

01/13/2026

Did you know?

POLST is a portable medical order for people with serious illness or advanced frailty, designed to help ensure their goals and values for care are honored.

While the purpose of POLST is consistent nationwide, each state determines the name of the form and how the program is overseen.

01/08/2026

The goal of serious illness conversations is to open communications in a compassionate, practical way to outline your future healthcare.

The Serious Illness Messaging Toolkit supports:
- Standardized language and terms
- Clear, research-driven explanations of care
- Patient-centered decision-making

Because when communication is clear, care and goals can truly align.

Get started with the toolkit: https://seriousillnessmessaging.org

01/06/2026

POLST is both a portable medical order and a process.

The POLST form translates a person’s goals for care into medical orders for individuals with serious illness or advanced frailty. The POLST process centers on thoughtful conversations between patients and healthcare professionals.

POLST programs are implemented at the state level, guided by local leadership and policy.

01/06/2026

Are you a healthcare provider looking for quality education and guidance on serious illness care?

Explore our Resources library — including legal frameworks, research citations, webinars, and educational videos.

Visit https://polst.org/resources/ for in-depth information.

04/16/2025

National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD.org) is April 16. It’s a day to encourage everyone to make sure their family and healthcare providers know their healthcare wishes if they suddenly became too ill to make decisions for themselves. By planning ahead, you can make sure you get the care you want and that your loved ones don’t have to guess what you would want if you are unable to speak for yourself.
It’s not just for older people. Sudden illness can happen any time to anyone!
Identify the key people in your life and make sure they know what Matters Most to you-then put it in writing! It is ok if you don’t know exactly what you want but naming a person/persons who can speak for you is gift you give your family.
There are many resources available to help with these important documents including National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD)Respecting ChoicesPrepare for Your CareThe Conversation ProjectCenter for Practical BioethicsLouisiana-Mississippi Hospice & Palliative Care OrganizationNational Alliance for Care at Home
Illness can happen to anyone, at any age, and it’s impossible to predict. Having a plan in place, even if you’re healthy now, can help make sure you get the care you want if something unexpected happens.

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Washington D.C., DC

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+12027808352

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http://www.polst.org/

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