Michigan DNR Form and MI-POST: What Families Need to Know

A Patient Advocate Designation tells someone what you want. A DNR or MI-POST tells the paramedic standing over you right now what to do. These are fundamentally different tools, and Michigan families need to understand when each one applies.

Michigan's DNR: Out-of-Hospital Do-Not-Resuscitate Order

Michigan's Do-Not-Resuscitate Procedure Act governs out-of-hospital DNR orders. This is a narrow, specific document: it instructs emergency medical services personnel not to attempt CPR if you are found without a pulse or not breathing.

Key facts about Michigan DNR orders:

• Can be executed by the patient, a patient advocate (if authorized by a valid PAD), or a court-appointed guardian
• Must be kept in a highly visible location in the home — posted on the refrigerator, near the front door, or on the patient's person
• The patient may wear an official "DO-NOT-RESUSCITATE ORDER" identification bracelet for recognition in public emergencies
• Copies, faxes, and digital scans are legally valid
• EMS personnel are required to administer full life-saving protocols unless they have actual notice of the DNR

That last point is critical. If paramedics arrive and can't find or don't see your DNR, they will attempt resuscitation. The document's existence alone isn't enough — it must be immediately visible and accessible.

MI-POST: Michigan Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment

The MI-POST (form MDHHS-5836) replaced Michigan's earlier POLST form and provides far broader coverage than a DNR. While a DNR only addresses CPR, the MI-POST covers:

• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation: attempt or do not attempt
• Medical interventions: full treatment, selective treatment, or comfort-focused treatment
• Artificially administered nutrition: long-term feeding tubes, IV nutrition, or trial periods
• Antibiotics: full treatment, limited use, or comfort-only

The MI-POST is designed for patients with advanced, terminal illness or severe frailty with a life expectancy of one year or less. It's not appropriate for healthy adults doing general advance care planning.

How MI-POST Differs From a Patient Advocate Designation

The timing difference matters most:

Patient Advocate Designation: A "springing" document. It sits dormant until two physicians certify that you lack decision-making capacity. Only then does your advocate's authority activate.

MI-POST: Takes immediate effect upon signature by both the patient (or their representative) and the attending health professional. No incapacity determination is needed.

This means a seriously ill patient who is still mentally competent can have an active MI-POST guiding their care right now, while their Patient Advocate Designation remains in reserve for when they can no longer participate in decisions.

Physical Portability Rules

Michigan has strict portability rules for the MI-POST that catch families off guard:

• The form is printed on heavy cardstock with a distinctive pink border so EMS personnel can identify it instantly
• It must be physically transported with the patient when moving between facilities
• Arabic (MDHHS-5837-AR) and Spanish (MDHHS-5837-SP) translations are available from MDHHS
• Out-of-state visitors to Michigan should complete a Michigan MI-POST — national POLST forms are not legally binding on Michigan EMS personnel

The MI-POST Review Timeline

The form isn't set-and-forget. Michigan requires review:

• Every 12 months from the date of last signature
• Within 30 days of any change in attending physician, place of care, or unexpected clinical change
• Verbal orders can modify the form temporarily, but the clinician must sign within 10 calendar days

When to Use Which Document

Building a Complete Michigan Plan

DNR and MI-POST forms address acute medical situations. But they don't cover who manages your finances during a prolonged incapacity, or how your property transfers after death. The Michigan Advance Directive & Living Will Kit coordinates your Patient Advocate Designation with your clinical orders, so your end-of-life medical plan works as a unified system rather than disconnected forms.

See more Michigan guides →