The Nursing Home as Part of the POLST Paradigm
36 Hamline Law Review, Symposium Edition 2013 Forthcoming
42 Pages Posted: 6 Oct 2012
Date Written: October 5, 2012
Abstract
This article discusses the intersection of nursing homes and the care of people with advanced, irreversible illness. First, it outlines the importance of nursing homes within the contemporary American health care enterprise and then describes the ways in which medical care decisions are made today in this context and identifies some of the major shortcomings of the status quo. The ensuing section proposes the POLST paradigm as a viable alternative to the status quo, laying a foundation by setting forth information on the nomenclature, definition, and legal status of the POLST concept and then specifically exploring the adaptability of the POLST paradigm to the nursing home setting and arguing the advantages of this mechanism as compared with conventional ADs. The article concludes that POLST can and should be an integral facet of ideal nursing home care for all willing and appropriate residents.
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