The physician orders for life-sustaining treatment form in the setting of traumatic injuries: a preliminary study on prevalence and effectiveness

Traumatic injuries among older (≥65 years) adults are increasing annually in the United States. There is a growing need for decision-making tools that guide acute interventions based on patient preferences, particularly when the patient may not be able to participate in their own care. The Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) program was created in an effort to help people, especially older adults, direct their care in the event of an emergency. Multiple studies have found to the POLST program to be effective in nursing homes, hospices and in out of hospital cardiac arrest field decision-making. However, to date, no studies have examined the role of the POLST program in the setting of traumatic injuries.