Advancing Advance Care Planning - Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment

Despite 30+ years of consumer education, federal-level promotion, and the tragic public spectacles of Karen Quinlan and Terry Schiavo, only about a quarter of American adults have advance directives or clear instructions for their end-of-life care. A program launched in Oregon in the mid-1990's to facilitate better communication among patients, family members, and health care providers has recently gained momentum across the country. The Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment (MOST) program, as it is known in Colorado, has been in development for several years. Primarily intended for the frail elderly or chronically/severely ill, the MOST is a one-page summary of pateint preferences translated by a physician (or APN or PA) signature into medical orders, which is designed to clarify choices, facilitae communication, and close gaps between health care settings. This session will describe the program and its benefits.