Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment - Patients & Families
MOLST Form
The Medical orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (MOLST) form is a physician’s order form for communicating an individual’s wishes regarding life-sustaining treatment.MOLST is based on the individual’s current medical condition and wishes. MOLST should be completed only after the individual has:
- Given significant thought to life-sustaining treatments
- Discussed life-sustaining treatments, current medical condition, prognosis and treatment options with his/her physician
- Communicated his/her personal preferences regarding life-sustaining treatments to the physician.
Depending on the individual’s preferences, a physician uses the MOLST to record orders for Do Not Resuscitate (DNR), Do Not Intubate (DNI), and/or other life-sustaining treatments. The MOLST form centralizes information on these issues, improves record keeping, and transfers appropriate information between health care professionals and between care settings.
The MOLST form is on bright pink paper so health care professionals can identify it in case of an emergency.
Although, MOLST summarizes advance directives, it is not intended to replace the advance directives (i.e., Health Care Proxy form and/or Living Will).
Download a printable sample of the MOLST form.
If a patient lacks capacity or ability to make health care decisions, additional consideration is needed. Please view the following:
