What is POLST?

POLST — Practitioner Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment – is a healthcare planning tool that empowers individuals to work closely with their medical team to detail their personal goals and medical preferences when facing a serious illness. Gov. Chris Christie signed New Jersey's POLST law in December 2011, and it's now being introduced statewide to help patients and families with end-of-life care planning.

The new POLST form is designed to be completed jointly by an individual and a physician, advance practice nurse or physician assistant, expressing the individual's goals of care and medical preferences. Unlike other documents like an Advance Directive, a completed POLST form is an actual medical order that becomes a part of the individual's medical record. It also is valid in all healthcare settings.

This process makes patients and their medical professionals partners in ensuring the patient's wishes are expressed and respected. That is the promise of POLST.

What is emPOLST?

  • Central repository for POLST across the state
  • Healthcare professionals including emergency responders access the statewide POLST repository
  • Together with their patient, a physician, APN or physician assistant can create POLST
  • Easily integrate with patient's current medical record
  • Share POLST forms among caregivers
  • emPOLST can be accessed via the web or mobile device

Contact Us

Are you interested in learning more about emPOLST? Contact us at emPOLSTSupport@njha.com or 800-828-9366.

POLST Form

The promise of POLST empowers you to make important decisions about your end-of-life care. Have the POLST conversation with your medical professional.

Standard POLST Form (green background)
ENGLISH SPANISH
POLST Form for Mass Printing (white background; print on green paper)
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