Oregon POLST: Portable Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment®
Oregon has served as The Founding POLST Program since the early 1990s, leading the way for greater POLST implementation.
What is a POLST?
It is a medical form that you may use to turn your wishes for treatment near the end of life into medical orders.
Who should have a POLST?
It is for a person with a serious progressive illness, such as advanced heart disease, advanced lung disease or cancer that has spread. It is also for someone who is older and frail and might not want all available medical treatments.
A POLST can never be required by a health care professional, care facility or health system.
Understanding POLST
Watch this simple 4-minute video to understand these medical orders.
Find the Information You Need by Who You Are. I am a …
Health Care Professional
Patient, Family Member or Health Surrogate
Researcher or Policy Analyst
Guidance for Health Care Professionals
What Patients and Their Surrogates Need to Know
Policies, Standards & Research
Health Care Professional
Guidance for Health Care Professionals
Patient, Family Member or Health Surrogate
What Patients and Their Surrogates Need to Know
Researcher or Policy Analyst
Policies, Standards & Research
Essential Information for Health Care Professionals
Patient Stories & Videos
Oregon POLST Program News
Essential Information for Health Care Professionals
Video for Health Care Professionals: Changes to the 2023 Oregon POLST Form
Watch this video in under 4 minutes.
Oregon POLST Guidebook for Health Care Professionals
Downloadable copy (2023 POLST form version)
POLST: Guidelines on POLST Use for Persons with Significant Disabilities who are Now Near the End of Life
Downloadable copy (version 08.03.2020)
Office of Developmental Disabilities Services' Fact Sheet on POLST Use
Downloadable copy (version 08.20.2020)
Patient Stories & Videos
Family Members Should Not Be Required to Sign a POLST for Their Loved One - A Story
POLST: When is the Right Time? - A Video
This 3-minute video shows the changes in Betty’s life. When she is healthy, she completes an advance directive. Later as she becomes seriously ill, she completes a POLST with her doctor.
Choosing Full Treatment when You Hope for More Time - A Story
Cómo Comprender el POLST - Un Video
This Spanish version of the “Understanding POLST” video provides a clear, detailed overview of the Oregon POLST form without medical language.
Oregon POLST Program News
November 2023 Newsletter
Topics include: Recognition of Service to Oregon POLST – Bill Hamilton and the Community Insight Committee – Susan Tolle’s new role as Historical Consultant to the Oregon POLST Coalition – 2023 Oregon Medical Association’s Presidential Citation Award to Dr. Susan Tolle
August 2023 News Alert
Announcing Dr. Susan Tolle’s planned retirement at the end of the year.
July 2023 News Alert
Announcing our new video tailored for any health care professional involved in POLST completion. Learn about changes in the 2023 form.
June 2023 Newsletter
Topics include: July Deadline for Section C is quickly approaching – Oregon POLST Registry’s 2022 Annual Report – Call to Action to help disseminate the first 9 translated versions of the POLST factsheet for patients – Upcoming educational video for health care professionals
February 2023 Newsletter
Topics include: Oregon’s 14th version of the POLST form available now – Oregon Medical Board spotlights additional protections in Oregon’s 2023 POLST – “Sample” version of the Oregon POLST as a new educational tool – Oregon DHS Alerts on POLST use for LTC facilities and group homes – Two Chinese versions of POLST factsheet – Christine Mullowney, MD as New Chair of Oregon’s POLST Coalition
October 2022 Newsletter
Topics include: Oregon’s 14th version of the POLST form to be available in January 2023 – New POLST lay version factsheets with additional translations for greater inclusion – EMS app release by the Oregon POLST Registry – Effectiveness of Advance Care Planning: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What Needs to Change? by Drs. Susan Tolle and Katrina Hedberg – HERO Kids registry is first in the nation
Give to Oregon POLST
The Oregon POLST Program does not accept gifts from health care industry sources.
Your gift protects your independent voice.
Contact Us
Video for Health Care Professionals: Changes to the 2023 Oregon POLST Form
Watch this video in under 4 minutes.
Oregon POLST Guidebook for Health Care Professionals
Downloadable copy (2023 POLST form version)
POLST: Guidelines on POLST Use for Persons with Significant Disabilities who are Now Near the End of Life
Downloadable copy (version 08.03.2020)
Office of Developmental Disabilities Services' Fact Sheet on POLST Use
Downloadable copy (version 08.20.2020)
Family Members Should Not Be Required to Sign a POLST for Their Loved One - A Story
POLST: When is the Right Time? - A Video
This 3-minute video shows the changes in Betty’s life. When she is healthy, she completes an advance directive. Later as she becomes seriously ill, she completes a POLST with her doctor.
Choosing Full Treatment when You Hope for More Time - A Story
Cómo Comprender el POLST - Un Video
This Spanish version of the “Understanding POLST” video provides a clear, detailed overview of the Oregon POLST form without medical language.
November 2023 Newsletter
Topics include: Recognition of Service to Oregon POLST – Bill Hamilton and the Community Insight Committee – Susan Tolle’s new role as Historical Consultant to the Oregon POLST Coalition – 2023 Oregon Medical Association’s Presidential Citation Award to Dr. Susan Tolle
August 2023 News Alert
Announcing Dr. Susan Tolle’s planned retirement at the end of the year.
July 2023 News Alert
Announcing our new video tailored for any health care professional involved in POLST completion. Learn about changes in the 2023 form.
June 2023 Newsletter
Topics include: July Deadline for Section C is quickly approaching – Oregon POLST Registry’s 2022 Annual Report – Call to Action to help disseminate the first 9 translated versions of the POLST factsheet for patients – Upcoming educational video for health care professionals
February 2023 Newsletter
Topics include: Oregon’s 14th version of the POLST form available now – Oregon Medical Board spotlights additional protections in Oregon’s 2023 POLST – “Sample” version of the Oregon POLST as a new educational tool – Oregon DHS Alerts on POLST use for LTC facilities and group homes – Two Chinese versions of POLST factsheet – Christine Mullowney, MD as New Chair of Oregon’s POLST Coalition
October 2022 Newsletter
Topics include: Oregon’s 14th version of the POLST form to be available in January 2023 – New POLST lay version factsheets with additional translations for greater inclusion – EMS app release by the Oregon POLST Registry – Effectiveness of Advance Care Planning: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What Needs to Change? by Drs. Susan Tolle and Katrina Hedberg – HERO Kids registry is first in the nation
Give to Oregon POLST
The Oregon POLST Program does not accept gifts from health care industry sources.
Your gift protects your independent voice.