The Portable Medical Orders (POLST) document is best described as:

• A. A living will outlines future treatment wishes
• B. A DPOA is a separate legal document
• C. Portable Medical Orders (POLST) are signed orders from a healthcare provider that give specific medical directions for emergencies
• D. An insurance form for coverage

Answer: (C)

POLSTs are medical orders that travel with the patient and tell providers exactly what treatments should or should not be used in emergencies or serious illness. They are signed by a clinician based on the patient’s or surrogate’s preferences and are intended to be actionable immediately across settings—hospital, home, or in transit—so responders know how to treat the patient even if the patient cannot communicate. This makes POLST distinct from a living will, which is an advance directive outlining future treatment wishes but is not a set of immediate orders to be followed in the moment. It’s also different from a durable power of attorney for healthcare, which designates someone else to make decisions when the patient can’t, not a specific set of medical orders. POLSTs are typically used for seriously ill or frail individuals and may specify resuscitation status, levels of intervention, and comfort-focused care, with the understanding that these orders are portable and should be honored across care settings.