Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment (MOST)

A Medical Order for Scope of Treatment (MOST) helps guide your care if you have a medical emergency and cannot speak for yourself.

Your doctor or nurse practitioner completes a MOST after discussing your health, treatment options and wishes for future care with you. These conversations are part of Advance Care Planning.

If you cannot make your own health care decisions, your substitute decision-maker (SDM) may help share your wishes.

Is a MOST right for me?

Any adult can consider having a MOST.
It may be especially helpful if you have a serious illness or a long-term health condition that may get worse or put your life at risk.
Having a MOST does not take away your right to make decisions about your own health care.
If you can make and communicate your own decisions, your health care team will continue to ask about your wishes.

How is a MOST completed?

A MOST is based on conversations with your health care provider and, if you wish, your family and loved ones.

These conversations cover:

Your wishes and goals for future health care
Your current health conditions and what to expect in the future
The treatment options available to you, including their risks and benefits

Your doctor or nurse practitioner uses these conversations to complete a MOST. It helps guide your health care team if you need urgent or emergency care and cannot communicate your wishes.

Talk to your health care provider

Your health care provider can help you understand your options and plan for future care.

Here are some questions you may want to ask:

How might my illness progress?
What health care decisions might I need to make in the future?
What complications could I experience, and what treatments are available?
What are the risks and benefits of treatments such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)?