Full Definition

A POLST form — called a Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment — is a portable medical order that travels with a seriously ill or frail senior across all care settings: home, hospital, skilled nursing facility, assisted living, and emergency response.

Unlike a living will (which expresses preferences), a POLST is an actual medical order signed by a physician. It typically addresses three key decisions: CPR preference, level of medical intervention desired (comfort only, limited interventions, or full treatment), and artificial nutrition preference.

POLST forms are typically appropriate for seniors with serious illness, advanced frailty, or limited life expectancy — not for healthy older adults. They are designed to be completed through a conversation between the patient (and family) and a physician.

In Texas, the POLST is an Out-of-Hospital DNR (OOH-DNR) combined with additional medical orders. Emergency medical technicians are legally required to honor a valid OOH-DNR. Facilities typically place the POLST prominently in the medical record and on the resident’s door or medication administration record. Families should ensure a copy travels with their loved one whenever they leave a facility.