Readers React: Planning for end-of-life care

To the editor: I have great respect for Ben Mattlin and am familiar with the concerns he expressed about Practitioner’s Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST), which he describes as static, unilateral documents that can lead to the withholding of care. (“Beware the rush to help people die,” Op-Ed, July 2)

In fact, what makes the POLST, in conjunction with a properly completed Advance Directive, so beneficial is that it facilitates important conversations between patients, families and physicians. These conversations allow everyone to clearly know the patient’s wishes and, ultimately, allow the patient to receive the very best medical care of their choice. Used properly, these end-of-life planning tools prevent the kinds of scenarios Mattlin worries about.

The POLST form is for patients with serious illness who may lose the ability to speak for themselves. It can be revised and renewed at any time. It is a proven tool for preventing unwanted medical care.

My organization encourages the thousands of clients we serve every year to fill out the Advance Directive (any adult over 18) and regularly review it, and then the POLST if a serious or life-threatening illness occurs. Both serve important functions in empowering patients and improving care.

Judy Neall Epstein, Portland, Ore.

The writer, a naturopathic doctor, is medical director of Compassion & Choices.