Patient site | Professional site | COVID‑19

DONATE

Research

Research Publications about POLST

The field of POLST research has grown rapidly since we started posting articles in 1998. We are no longer updating this page, as it is easy to search for research on POLST on PubMed. It is possible that a few articles may not appear in this search — any omission is unintentional. If this link does not work, please contact us.

2018 (partial list)

  • Constantine LA, T Dichiacchio, EC Falkenstine EC, and AH Moss (2018). Nurse practitioners’ completion of Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment forms in West Virginia: A secondary analysis of 12 months of data from the state registry. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners 30(1):10–16. doi:10.1097/JXX.0000000000000012
  • Hopping-Winn J, J Mullin, L March, M Caughey, M Stern M, and J Jarvie (2018). The Progression of End-of-Life Wishes and Concordance with End-of-Life Care. Journal of Palliative Medicine, ahead of print. doi:10.1089/jpm.2017.0317
  • Mayoral Vania FS, FB Fukushima, AM Rodrigues, RP Carvalho, LP Carvalho, LAFV Pinheiro, BF Polegato, MF Minicucci, R Bassett, AH Moss, KE Steinberg, and EIO Vidal (2018). Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment Form to Brazil. Journal of Palliative Medicine, ahead of print. doi:10.1089/jpm.2017.0590
  • Swetz KM (2018). Are Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatments the Answer to the End-of-Life Care Quality Conundrums in Cancer Care? Journal of Oncology Practice 14(1):7-8. doi:10.1200/JOP.2017.027839 See below (2017) for the original article by Pedraza to which this Editorial response was written.

2017

  • Cantillo M, Corliss A, Ashton M, Kimata C, Ruiz J (2017). Honoring Patient Choices With Advance Care Planning Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing 19(4):305–311. doi:10.1097/NJH.0000000000000359
  • Chen D, and D Azueta (2017). Clarity or Confusion? Variability in Uses of “Allow Natural Death” in State POLST Forms Journal of Palliative Medicine 20(7):695-696. doi:10.1089/jpm.2017.0064
  • Chisholm L, S Zimmerman, C Rosemond, E McConnell, BJ Weiner, F Lin, and L Hanson (2017). Nursing home staff perspectives on adoption of an innovation in goals of care communication. Geriatric Nursing pii:S0197-4572(17)30204-30205.
    doi:10.1016/j.gerinurse.2017.08.001
  • Ersek M, SE Hickman, AC Thomas, B Bernard, KT Unroe (2017). Stakeholder Perspectives on the Optimizing Patient Transfers, Impacting Medical Quality, and Improving Symptoms: Transforming Institutional Care (OPTIMISTIC) Project. The Gerontologist gnx155
    doi:10.1093/geront/gnx155
  • Hanson LC, Zimmerman S, Song M, Lin F, Rosemond C, TS Carey, and SL Mitchell (2017). Effect of the Goals of Care Intervention for Advanced Dementia: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Intern Medicine 177(1):24-31. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.7031 See below for Invited commentary.
    • Carnahan JL, NR Fowler, and KT Unroe (2017). Supporting Family Decision Makers for Nursing Home Residents: A Promising Approach. JAMA Intern Medicine 177(1):32-33. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.7065
  • Lammers AJ, DM Zive, SW Tolle, EK Fromme (2017). The Oncology Specialist’s Role in POLST Form Completion. American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine 35(2):297-303. doi:10.1177/1049909117702873
  • Lum H, O Obafemi, J Dukes, M Nowels, K Samon, RS Boxer (2017). Use of Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment for Heart Failure Patients During Postacute Care in Skilled Nursing Facilities. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association 18(10):885–890. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049909117702873
  • Moss AH, DM Zive, EC Falkenstine,and C Dunithan. (2017). The Quality of POLST Completion to Guide Treatment: A 2-State Study. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association 18(9):810.e5–810.e9. doi:10.1016/j.jamda.2017.05.015
  • Pedraza S, Culp S, Knestrick M, Falkenstine E, and Moss A (2017). “Association of Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment Form Use With End-of-Life Care Quality Metrics in Patients With Cancer.” Journal of Oncology Practice. 13(10):e881-e888. doi:10.1200/JOP.2017.022566 See below for Editorial Response.
    • Swetz KM (2018). Are Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatments the Answer to the End-of-Life Care Quality Conundrums in Cancer Care? Journal of Oncology Practice 14(1):7-8. doi:10.1200/JOP.2017.027839
  • Pedraza S, Knestrick M, Culp S, Falkenstine E, and Moss A (2017). “Association of POST Form Use with Quality End-of-Life Care Metrics in Cancer Patients: Update from the West Virginia Registry (FR440B)” Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. 53(2):367-368. doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2016.12.131
  • Rosoff PM and LJ Schneiderman (2017). “Irrational Exuberance: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation as Fetish.” The American Journal of Bioethics. 17(2):26-34. doi: 10.1080/15265161.2016.1265163. See below for replies.
    • Derse, Arthur R (2017). “Erring on the Side of Life” Is Sometimes an Error: Physicians Have the Primary Responsibility to Correct This. The American Journal of Bioethics. 17(2):39-41. doi:10.1080/15265161.2016.1265168 (limited access)
    • Pope, Thaddeus (2017). Controlling the Misuse of CPR Through POLST and Certified Patient Decision Aids. The American Journal of Bioethics. 17(2):35-37 (limited access).
      doi:10.1080/15265161.2016.1265184
  • Stuart RB, and S Thielke (2017). Standardizing Protection of Patients’ Rights From POLST to MOELI (Medical Orders for End-of-Life Intervention).Journal of the American Medical Directors Association 18:741-745. doi:10.1016/j.jamda.2017.04.022 See below for reply.
    • Hickman S, AH Moss, K Steinberg, C Sabatino, and A Vandenbroucke (2017). Proposed POLST replacement creates more problems than it solves. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association18(12):1092–1093. doi:10.1016/j.jamda.2017.09.024 See below for reply.
      • Stuart RB, and S Thielke (2017). Ethical and Practical Ways in Which MOELI (Medical Orders for End-of-Life Intervention) Advance the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) Program. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association (in press) doi:10.1016/j.jamda.2017.12.004
  • Tolle SW, and JM Teno (2017). “Lessons from Oregon in Embracing Complexity in End-of-Life Care.” The New England Journal of Medicine. 376:11, 1078-1082. doi:10.1056/NEJMsb1612511.  See below for reply.
    • Chertoff J and A Ataya (2017). Letter to the Editor regarding Lessons from End-of-Life Care in Oregon. The New England Journal of Medicine. 376:21, 2096-2096. doi:10.1056/NEJMc1704727. See below for reply.
      • Tolle SW, and JM Teno (2017). Authors’ reply to Letter to the Editor regarding Lessons from End-of-Life Care in Oregon. The New England Journal of Medicine. 376:21, 2096-2096. doi:10.1056/NEJMc1704727.
  • Unroe KT, SE Hickman, AM Torke, and the AAHPM Research Committee Writing Group (2017). “Care Consistency With Documented Care Preferences: Methodologic Considerations for Implementing the “Measuring What Matters” Quality Indicator.” Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. 52(4):453-458. doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2016.04.015 (limited access).

2016

  • George NR, J Kryworuchko, KM Hunold, K Ouchi, A Berman, R Wright, CR Grudzen, O Kovalerchik, EM LeFebvre, RA Lindor, TE Quest, TA Schmidt, T Sussman, A Vandenbroucke, AE Volandes, TF Platts-Mills (2016). Shared Decision Making to Support the Provision of Palliative and End-of-Life Care in the Emergency Department: A Consensus Statement and Research Agenda. Academic Emergency Medicine 23:1394–1402. doi:10.1111/acem.13083
  • Hickman SE, KT Unroe, MT Ersek, B Buente, A Nazir, GA Sachs (2016). “An Interim Analysis of an Advance Care Planning Intervention in the Nursing Home Setting” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 64(11):1-8. (Epub ahead of print) doi:10.1089%2Fjpm.2013.0097.
  • Jennings LA, D Zingmond, R Louie, CH Tseng, J Thomas, K O’Malley, and NS Wenger (2016). “Use of the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment among California Nursing Home Residents.” Journal of General Internal Medicine. 31(10):1119–1126. doi:10.1007/s11606-016-3728-9. See below for Editorial & Comment.
    • Braun UK. (2016). Experiences with POLST: Opportunities for Improving Advance Care Planning. Editorial & Comment on: Use of Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment among California Nursing Home Residents. Journal of General Internal Medicine 1-6 (Epub ahead of print) doi:10.1007/s11606-016-3795-y.
  • Kapp MB (2016). “Overcoming Legal Impediments to Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment,” AMA Journal of Ethics 18(9):861-868. Free PDF.
  • Moore, KA, EB Rubin, and SD Halpern (2016). “The Problems With Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment.” Journal of the American Medical Association 315(3):259-260. doi:10.1001/jama.2015.17362. See below for reply.
    • Tolle SW, Moss AH, and SE Hickman (2016). “Assessing Evidence for Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment Programs.” Journal of the American Medical Association 315(22):2471-2472. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.4024. See below for reply.
      • Moore, KA, EB Rubin, and SD Halpern (2016). “Assessing Evidence for Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment Programs—Reply” Journal of the American Medical Association 315(22):2472. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.4039.
  • Moss AH, DM Zive, EC Falkenstine, EK Fromme, and SW Tolle (2016). “Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment Medical Intervention Orders and In-Hospital Death Rates: Comparable Patterns in Two State Registries.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 64(8):1739-1741. doi:10.1111/jgs.14273.
  • Pedraza SL, S Culp, EC Falkenstine, and AH Moss (2016). “Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment Medical Intervention Orders and In-Hospital Death Rates: Comparable Patterns in Two State Registries.” Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 51(2):240-246. doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2015.10.003.
  • Zive DM, Cook J, Yang C, D Sibell, SW Tolle, and M Lieberman (2016). “Implementation of a Novel Electronic Health Record-Embedded Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment System.” Journal of Medical Systems. 40:245. doi:10.1007/s10916-016-0605-3.

2015

  • Hickman SE, E Keevern, and BJ Hammes (2015). “Use of the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment Program in the Clinical Setting: A Systematic Review of the Literature.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 63(2):341-350. doi:10.1111/jgs.13248.
  • Mirarchi FL, AA Doshi, SW Zerkle, and TE Cooney (2015). “TRIAD VI: How Well Do Emergency Physicians Understand Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) Forms?” Journal of Patient Safety 11(1):1-8. doi:10.1097/PTS.0000000000000165.
  • McGough NNH, B Hauschildt, D Mollon, and W Fields (2015). “Nurses’ knowledge and comfort levels using the Physician Orders for Life-sustaining Treatment (POLST) form in the progressive care unit.” Geriatric Nursing 36(1):21-24. doi:10.1016/j.gerinurse.2014.09.001.
  • RJ Schmidt, BB Weaner, D Long (2015). “The Power of Advance Care Planning in Promoting Hospice and Out-of-Hospital Death in a Dialysis Unit” Journal of Palliative Medicine. 18(1)62-66. doi:10.1089/jpm.2014.0031.
  • Tucka KK, DM Zive, TA Schmidt, J Carter, J Nutt, and EK Fromme (2015). “Life-sustaining treatment orders, location of death and co-morbid conditions in decedents with Parkinson’s disease” Parkinsonism & Related Disorders 21(10):1205-1209. doi:10.1016/j.parkreldis.2015.08.021.
  • Zive DM, EK Fromme, TA Schmidt, JNB Cook, and SW Tolle (2015). “Timing of POLST Form Completion by Cause of Death.” Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 50(5):650-658. doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2015.06.004.

2014

  • Araw AC et al. (2014). “Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment: Is it Time Yet.” Palliative and Supportive Care 12(2):101-105. doi:10.1017/S1478951512001010.
  • Hickman SE, CA Nelson, E Smith-Howell, and BJ Hammes (2014). “Use of the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining
    Treatment Program for Patients Being Discharged from the Hospital to the Nursing Facility.” Journal of Palliative Medicine 17(1):43-49. doi:10.1089/jpm.2013.009.
  • Jesus, JE, JM Geiderman, A Venkat, WE Limehouse Jr., AR Derse, et al. (2014). “Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment and Emergency Medicine: Ethical Considerations, Legal Issues, and Emerging Trends.” Annals of Emergency Medicine 64(2):140-144. doi:10.1016/j.annemergmed.2014.03.014.
  • Fromme, EK, D Zive, TA Schmidt, JNB Cook, and SW Tolle (2014). “Association Between Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment for Scope of Treatment and In-Hospital Death in Oregon.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 62(7):1246-1251. doi:10.1111/jgs.12889.
  • Richardson DK, EK Fromme, D Zive, R Fu, and CD Newgard (2014). “Concordance of Out-of-Hospital and Emergency Department Cardiac Arrest Resuscitation with Documented End-of-Life Choices in Oregon.” Annals of Emergency Medicine 63(4):375-383. doi:10.1016/j.annemergmed.2013.09.004.
  • Schmidt TA, D Zive, EK Fromme, JNB Cook, and SW Tolle (2014). “Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST): Lessons Learned from Analysis of the Oregon POLST Registry.” Resuscitation 85(4):480-485. doi:10.1016/j.resuscitation.2013.11.027.
  • Waldrop DP, B Clemency, E Maguin and L Heather (2014). “Preparation for Front Line End-of-Life Care: Exploring the Perspectives of Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians.” Journal of Palliative Medicine 17(3): 338-341. doi: doi:10.1089/jpm.2013.0442.

2013

  • Berlinger N, R Barfield, and AR Fleischman (2013). “Facing Persistent Challenges in Pediatric Decision-Making: New Hastings Center Guidelines.” Pediatrics 123(5):789-791. doi:10.1542/peds.2013-1378.
  • Fromme EK (2013). “The POLST Quality and Research Toolkit (PQRsT).” https://polst.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/2013-POLST-Toolkit-Version_1.0_2-22-2013.pdf.
  • Heyland DK et al. (2013). “Failure to Engage Hospitalized Elderly Patients and Their Families in Advance Care Planning.” JAMA Internal Medicine. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.180.
  • Schmidt, TA, EA Olszewski, D Zive, EK Fromme and SW Tolle (2013). “The Oregon Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment Registry: A Preliminary Study of Emergency Medical Services Utilization.” The Journal of Emergency Medicine 44(4):796-805. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2012.07.081. See below for reply.
    • Mirarchi F and Christopher C.(2013). “RE: The Oregon Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment Registry.” The Journal of Emergency Medicine 48(2)/:215–217. 10.1016/j.jemermed.2013.08.149. See below for reply.
      • Schmidt, TA, EA Olszewski, D Zive, EK Fromme and SW Tolle (2013). “In Response to Letter to the Editor.” The Journal of Emergency Medicine 48(2):217-218. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2014.07.057.
  • Sugiyama, T et al. (2013). “Implementing Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment in California Hospitals: Factors Associated with Adoption” Journal of American Geriatrics Society 61(8): 1337-1344. doi:10.1111/jgs.12367.

2012

  • Caprio AJ, VP Rollins, and E Roberts (2012). “Health care professionals’ perceptions and use of the medical orders for scope of treatment (MOST) form in North Carolina nursing homes.” Journal of the American Medical Directors Association 13(2):162-168. doi:10.1016/j.jamda.2010.07.006.
  • Fromme EK, D Zive, TA Schmidt, E Olszewski, and SW Tolle (2012). “POLST registry do-not-resuscitate orders and other patient treatment preferences.” Journal of the American Medical Association 307(1):34-35. doi:10.1001/jama.2011.1956.
  • Hammes BJ, BL Rooney, JD Gundrum, SE Hickman, and N Hager (2012). “The POLST program: A retrospective review of the demographics of use and outcomes in one community where advanced directives are prevalent.” Journal of Palliative Medicine 15(1):77-85. doi:10.1089/jpm.2011.0178.
  • Wenger NS et al. (2012). “Implementation of Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment in Nursing Homes in California: Evaluation of a novel Statewide Dissemination Mechanism.” Journal of General  Internal Medicine 28(1):51-57. doi:10.1007/s11606-012-2178-2.
  • Olszewski, C Newgard, D Zive, TA Schmidt, and KJ McConnell (2012). “Validation of Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining
    Treatment: Electronic Registry to Guide Emergency Care. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 60(7):1384-1386. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2012.04027.x.

2011

  • Hickman SE, CA Nelson, AH Moss, SW Tolle, NA Perrin, and BJ Hammes (2011). “Consistency between treatment provided to nursing facility residents and orders on the physician orders for life-sustaining treatment form.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 59(11):2091-2099. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03656.x.
  • Sam S, R Pekmezaris, and CN Nouryan (2011). “Survey of Emergency Medical Services Professionals’ Experience with Advance Directives and Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 59(12):2383-2384. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03680.x.
  • Vo H et al. (2011). “Knowledge and attitudes of health care workers regarding MOLST (medical orders for life-sustaining treatment) implementation in long-term care facilities.” Geriatric Nursing 32(1):58062. doi:10.1016/j.gerinurse.2010.11.002.

2010

  • Hickman SE, CA Nelson, NA Perrin, AH Moss, BJ Hammes, and SW Tolle (2010). “A comparison of methods to communicate treatment preferences in nursing facilities: Traditional practices versus the physician orders for life-sustaining treatment program.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 58(7):1241-1248. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.02955.x (Full PDF).

2009

  • Hickman SE et al. (2009). “Use of the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) Paradigm Program in the Hospice Setting.” Journal of Palliative Medicine 12(2):133-141. doi:10.1089/jpm.2008.0196.
  • Meier DE and L Beresford (2009). “POLST Offers Next Stage in Honoring Patient Preferences.”  Journal of Palliative Medicine 12(4):291-295. doi:10.1089/jpm.2009.9648.
  • Resnick HE, GL Foster, and SE Hickman (2009). “Nursing home participation in end-of-life programs: United states, 2004.” American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care 26 (5):354-360. doi:10.1177/1049909109333933.

2006

  • Bomba PA and D Vermilyea (2006). “Integrating POLST into Palliative Care Guidelines: A Paradigm Shift in Advance Care Planning in Oncology.” Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network 4(8):819-829. PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16948957
  • Hanson LC and M Ersek (2006). “Meeting Palliative Care Needs in Post-Acute Care Settings: ‘To Help Them Live Until They Die’”. Journal of American Medical Association 295(6):681-686. doi:10.1001/jama.295.6.681.
  • Kellermann A and J Lynn (2006). “Withholding Resuscitation in Prehospital Care.” Annals of Internal Medicine 144(9):692-693. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-144-9-200605020-00014.

2005

2004

  • Baumrucker SJ (2004). “Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment: An Idea Whose Time Has Come.” American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care 21(4):247-248. doi:10.1177/104990910402100402.
  • Gillick MR (2004). “Adapting Advance Medical Planning for the Nursing Home.” Journal of Palliative Medicine 7(2):357-361. doi:10.1089/109662104773709521.
  • Hickman SE, SW Tolle, K Brummel-Smith, and MM Carley (2004). “Use of the physician orders for life-sustaining treatment program in Oregon nursing facilities: Beyond resuscitation status.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 52(9):1424-1429. doi:j.1532-5415.2004.52402.x.
  • Lorenz KA and J Lynn (2004). “Oregon’s Lessons For Improving Advance Care Planning.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 52:1574-1575. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2004.52426.x.
  • Meyers JL, C Moore, A McGrory, J Sparr, and M Ahern (2004). “Physician orders for life-sustaining treatment form: Honoring end-of-life directives for nursing home residents.” Journal of Gerontological Nursing 30(9):37-46. doi: 10.3928/0098-9134-20040901-08.
  • Schmidt TA, SE Hickman, SW Tolle, and HS Brooks (2004). “The physician orders for life-sustaining treatment program: Oregon emergency medical technicians’ practical experiences and attitudes.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 52(9):1430-1434. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2004.52403.x.

2003

  • Cantor MD and RA Pearlman (2003). “Advance Care Planning in Long-Term Care Facilities.” Journal of the American Medical Directors Association 4:101-107. doi:10.1016/S1525-8610(04)70284-4.

2002

  • Hickman SE (2002). “Improving Communication Near the End of Life.” American Behavioral Scientist 46(2):252-267. doi:10.1177/000276402236677.
  • Tolle SW and VP Tilden (2002). “Changing End-of-Life Planning: The Oregon Experience.” Journal of Palliative Medicine 5(2):311-317. doi:10.1089/109662102753641322.

2000

  • Lee MA, K Brummel-Smith, J Meyer, N Drew, and MR London (2000). “Physician orders for life-sustaining treatment (POLST): Outcomes in a
    PACE program.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 48(10):1219-1225. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2000.tb02594.x.
  • Cantor MD (2000). “Improving Advance Care Planning: Lessons From POLST.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 48(10):1343-1344. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2000.tb02613.x.

1998

  • Tolle SW, VP Tilden, CA Nelson, and PM Dunn (1998). “A prospective study of the efficacy of the physician order form for life-sustaining treatment.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 46(9):1097-1102. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.1998.tb06647.x.