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A POLST is not an advance directive and does not substitute for naming a health care agent or durable power of attorney for health care. Currently, only about half of all states have POLST forms available. Make sure to check with your physician about whether or not your state uses a version of POLST.

A POLST does not include a patient's wishes for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, where an advance medical directive does. A POLST is a legal binding document and an advance medical directive is not. A POLST is a form of medical orders, while an advance medical directive is used when a patient cannot speak for themselves.

POLST addresses a range of life-sustaining measures and allows a person to choose treatment, as well as forego treatment. A DNR only addresses resuscitation and only allows for forgoing treatment.

The most common types of advance directives are the living will and the durable power of attorney for health care (sometimes known as the medical power of attorney).

All adults should have an advance directive but an advance directive does not give medial orders. Instead, it provides an idea of what treatments the patient would like to receive and identifies a surrogate who can help make treatment decisions on behalf of the patient. A POLST form gives medical orders.

Advance directives generally fall into three categories: living will, power of attorney and health care proxy. LIVING WILL: This is a written document that specifies what types of medical treatment are desired. A living will can be very specific or very general.

Is POLST mandated by law? Filling out a POLST form is entirely voluntary. However, California law requires that the physician orders in a POLST be followed by health care professionals, and provides immunity from civil or criminal liability to those who comply in good faith with a patient's POLST requests.