Michigan Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment (MI POST)

Together with Advance Care Planning leaders within our state, MDHHS created MI-POST trainings that are now available on the MDHHS MI-POST website.  These leaders include representatives from Ascension, Corewell Health, Covenant HealthCare, Gogebic Medical Care, Munson Medical Center, MyMichigan Health and Trinity Health Care, Health and Hospital Association, Michigan Home Care and Hospital Association, Healthcare Association of Michigan, private consultants, and state partners from Licensing and Regulatory Affairs and the Division of EMS and Trauma.

MDHHS has issued a new Michigan Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment (MI-POST) form for adult patients with advanced illness or frailty.  This medical order is signed by the patient or patient representative (enacted Patient Advocate or Legal Guardian) and their health care provider and is used to direct care when the patient is unable to verbalize their treatment preferences. MI-POST is an optional one page, two-sided medical order with a person’s wishes for care in a crisis. MI-POST is part of the advance care planning process that includes choices about cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), critical care, and other wanted medical care. It is intended to guide care only if the person cannot tell others what to do at that time. Health care providers who may sign this order include physicians, nurse practitioners, physician’s assistants. Unlike the out of hospital DNR order, the MI POST does not require witnessing, and must be reaffirmed annually and when the patient changes level of care.  The MI-POST form is available in Spanish, Arabic and English.

As of Friday, June 30, patients and their health care providers will be required to use the new MI-POST form, available on the MI-POST website. MI-POST forms completed on the old version of the form before

Friday, June 30, will be considered valid one year from the completion date or until a circumstance that requires reaffirmation or revocation of the MI-POST form, as detailed on the form instructions.

MDHHS has created trainings specific to Licensed Care Facilities, Clinicians and Hospital Care Teams, Emergency Medical Services/Medical Control Authorities, and community members on utilizing the MI-POST form, including completing the MI-POST form, processes for reaffirmation or revocation, and compliance with the MI-POST form. MDHHS has also made available volunteer trainers to facilitate training sessions on the MI-POST form process on a limited basis.

Facilities interested in training resources should reach out to MDHHS-MI-POST@michigan.gov. For more information on the MI-POST form, Frequently Asked Questions, the MI-POST Administrative Rules, Public Act 154 of 2017, and training resources, please visit the MI-POST website.