What is the role of a Qualified Health Care Practitioner in the POLST process?

• A. To sign the POLST Form after discussing treatment options with the patient or their representative.
• B. To decide resuscitation status without patient input.
• C. To manage hospital billing.
• D. To interpret the form for the EMS crew only.

Answer: (A)

In the POLST process, the clinician who qualifies as a Qualified Health Care Practitioner is the person who leads the conversation with the patient or their representative about goals of care and the available treatment options. They assess the patient’s medical situation, explain what each option would mean in practical terms, and, after ensuring the patient (or surrogate) understands and endorses the choices, they sign the POLST form to convert those preferences into legally binding medical orders. This signing creates actionable instructions that apply across care settings, including EMS encounters, so the patient’s wishes are honored.

The other options don’t fit because decisions about resuscitation or other life-sustaining measures should reflect the patient’s choices obtained through discussion, not a unilateral determination. POLST is not about hospital billing, and while EMS personnel will follow POLST orders, the clinician’s primary role is to document and sign the patient’s preferences, not merely interpret the form for responders.