37.10.101    DEFINITIONS

(1) "Comfort One" means a statewide method withholding resuscitative measures for terminally ill patients for whom a physician has issued a do-not-resuscitate order (DNR) order. The Comfort One program is to be succeeded by "POLST".

(2) "Comfort One card or form" means a uniform statewide identification card or form, issued before January 1, 2010, indicating that a DNR has been issued to the patient.

(3) "Comfort One logo" means a standard, statewide graphic display, including the words "comfort one", approved by the department.

(4) "Comfort One necklace or bracelet" means a necklace or bracelet of uniform statewide design, approved by the department. The Comfort One necklace or bracelet must prominently display the Comfort One logo and may only be issued to patients on verification that they have a Comfort One form, or have been identified as DNR patients on the POLST form.

(5) "POLST" means Provider Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment, a comprehensive statewide method of identifying a patient's wishes for providing palliative care, medical interventions, or withholding resuscitative measures to terminally ill patients who have declared living wills or for whom a DNR order has been issued.

(6) "POLST form" means a uniform, single form for statewide use, approved by the department and Board of Medical Examiners, indicating either that a valid and current declaration pursuant to 50-9-103, MCA, has been executed and that the declarant is a qualified patient as defined in 50-9-102, MCA, or that a provider has issued a DNR order for the patient.

(7) "Provider" means a physician, or advanced practice registered nurse. A physician assistant with a valid agreement with a supervising physician who has delegated the authority to sign DNR orders may also be considered a provider.

History: 50-9-110, MCA; IMP, 50-9-102, 50-9-106, MCA; NEW, 1989 MAR p. 2232, Eff. 12/22/89; TRANS, from DHES, 1997 MAR p. 1462; AMD, 2008 MAR p. 2356, Eff. 11/7/08.