Does the MOLST carry more weight in the field than the Health Care Proxy?
Absolutely. The Health Care Proxy and the MOLST form are different documents used for different purposes based on the patient’s condition and circumstances. That being said, the MOLST contains actionable medical orders for seriously ill patients near the end of life that are followed by EMS personnel in the pre-hospital setting. Medical orders carry more weight in the field as medical orders are precise and can be easily interpreted in an emergency. The MOLST program is based on a proven national model. If EMS personnel are presented with a MOLST DNR form, they must honor it. If someone presents them with a health care proxy form and claims to be the health care agent,, EMS personnel should follow the DNR form. Since the health care proxy form is a legal document, there is no way for the EMS personnel to determine if the health care proxy form is valid or has not been amended or revoked. If a person signs a health care proxy he or she designates another person, called an agent, to make
