“The reluctance among doctors and family members to initiate these talks runs so deep that, three decades after DNR orders were introduced, their use remains spotty. Now the Department of Public Health is exploring whether to adopt a new kind of form, used in six other states, that could make the process easier. Called POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment), the document asks for a patient’s preferences on CPR, but also allows patients to make decisions about use of other life-sustaining interventions, such as intravenous fluids, antibiotics, and breathing machines.” (International Herald Tribune)