Medical Order for Live-Sustaining Treatment-MOLST
Individuals facing life threatening illnesses and approaching death want their wishes and desires to be respected and adhered to in a compassionate manner. Their care should be based on their individual goals. In addition, their families need and deserve to receive support during their illness or end of life experience. The Medical Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment program is designed to improve the quality of care people receive at the end of life.
MOLST translates patient/resident goals and preferences into medical orders. It is based on communication between the patient/resident, Health Care Agent, or other designated decisionmaker and health care professionals that ensures sound and informed medical decisionmaking.
MOLST aims to improve the communication of personal wishes about life-sustaining treatments resulting in higher quality medical care.
The MOLST Program was designed to:
- Document a person's treatment preferences regarding:
- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
- Intubation and mechanical ventilation
- Other life-sustaining treatments
- Coordinate physician orders with the individual's wishes.
- Communicate an individual's wishes regarding care across health care settings.
- Improve Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel's ability to treat according to the individual's wishes.
- Reduce repetitive documentation while complying with New York State law and the federal Patient Self-Determination Act.
The MOLST form is a bright pink medical order form signed by a New York State licensed physician that communicates patient wishes regarding life-sustaining treatment to health care providers. These valid medical orders must be followed by all health care professionals in all sites of care, including the community.
The form includes medical orders and patient preferences regarding:
- CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)
- Intubation and mechanical ventilation
- Artificial hydration and nutrition
- Future hospitalization and transfer
- Antibiotics
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