Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (MOLST)
Honoring patient preferences is a critical element in providing quality end-of-life care. To enable physicians and other health care providers to discuss and convey a patient's wishes regarding cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and life-sustaining treatment, the Department of Health has approved a physician order form, the Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (MOLST), that can be used statewide by health care providers and facilities as the legal equivalent of an inpatient Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) form.
MOLST was created by the Community-wide End of Life Palliative Care Initiative to provide a single document that would function as an actionable medical order and could transition with a patient through all health care settings. It is intended that the form will be transported with the patient between different health care settings in order that their wishes for life-sustaining treatment and CPR will be clearly indicated.
Copies of the MOLST form and the supplemental documentation forms for adults who lack capacity or meet "exceptional circumstances" and minors are available from Compassion and Support - End-of-Life and Palliative Care Planning, MOLST of New York State (CompassionandSupport.org)
Should you have questions for the Department of Health regarding MOLST, please refer them to molst@health.state.ny.us.