Should facilities write a new POLST for each patient or resident when they are admitted?

Not necessarily. The patient or resident's POLST is portable, and facilities should incorporate the patient's existing POLST into their records. Facilities may adopt policies requiring a provider with privileges to counter-sign the POLST.

A POLST should be reviewed upon admission. If a POLST has a recent date (within a year generally) and no major changes to the patient's condition have happen since the signing, it is acceptable to consider a confirmation of the POLST as meeting the requirement for inquiry of advance directives on admission.

There is a section on the POLST providers may initial to indicate that a review has been conducted and no changes are required.