TRIAD IX: can a patient testimonial safely help ensure prehospital appropriate critical versus end-of-life care?
Mirarchi FL, Cammarata C, Cooney TE, et al. TRIAD IX: can a patient testimonial safely help ensure prehospital appropriate critical versus end-of-life care? J Patient Saf. 2021;17(6):458-466. doi:10.1097/pts.0000000000000387.
Prior research found significant confusion among physicians in understanding Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) documents, which can lead to errors. This study found that emergency medical services (EMS) personnel did not exhibit adequate understanding of all POLST or living will documents either. The researchers propose that patient video messaging can increase clarity about treatment, and preserve patient safety and autonomy.