Section 216-RICR-20-15-4.2 - DefinitionsA. Whenever used in these Regulations, the following terms shall be construed as follows: 1. "Act" means R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 23-4.11 entitled "Rights of the Terminally Ill Act".2. "Advance directive protocol" means a standardized, state-wide method developed for emergency medical services personnel by the department of health and approved by the ambulance service advisory board, of providing palliative care to, and withholding life-sustaining procedures from, a qualified patient.3. "Advance health care directive" means a written document that states an individual's choices for health care or names someone to express those choices the individual if the individual become unable to make health care decisions for themselves. An advance directive may be known as a Living Will, Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, or health care proxy.4. "Artificial feeding" means the provision of nutrition or hydration by parenteral, nasogastric, gastric or any means other than through per oral voluntary sustenance.5. "Attending physician" means the physician who has primary responsibility for the treatment and care of the patient.6. "Declaration" means a witnessed document executed in accordance with the requirements of R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 23-4.11-3 or 23-4.11-3.1.7. "Department" means the Rhode Island Department of Health.8. "Director" means the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health.9. "Emergency medical services personnel" means paid or volunteer firefighters, law enforcement officers, first responders, emergency medical technicians, or other emergency services personnel acting within the ordinary course of their professions.10. "Health care decision maker" means a person authorized by law or by the qualified patient to make health care decisions for the qualified patient. The qualified patient may revoke at any time and in any manner the appointment of a health care decision maker.11. "Health care facility" means any institutional health service provider, facility or institution, place, building, agency, or portion thereof, whether a partnership or corporation, whether public or private, whether organized for profit or not, used, operated, or engaged in providing health care services, as defined in R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17-2(6).12. "Health care provider" means a person who is licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized by the law of Rhode Island to administer health care in the ordinary course of business or practice of a profession.13. "Life sustaining procedure" means any medical procedure or intervention that, when administered to a qualified patient, will serve only to prolong the dying process. "Life sustaining procedure" shall not include any medical procedure or intervention considered necessary by the attending physician to provide comfort and care or alleviate pain.14. "Medical orders for life sustaining treatment" or "MOLST" means a voluntary request that directs a health care provider regarding resuscitative and life-sustaining measures.15. "Medical orders for life sustaining treatment form" or "MOLST Form" means a document which directs health care providers regarding resuscitative and life-sustaining measures.16. "MOLST qualified health care provider" means the physician, registered nurse practitioner, or physician assistant who is authorized by the patient to sign a MOLST form.17. "Physician assistant" means a person licensed as a physician assistant under R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 5-54.18. "Person" means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, government, governmental subdivision or agency, or any other legal entity.19. "Physician" means an individual licensed to practice medicine under R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 5-37.20. "Qualified patient" means a patient who has executed a declaration in accordance with the Act and these Regulations, and who has been determined by the attending physician to be in a terminal condition.21. "Registered nurse practitioner" means a person licensed as such under R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 5-34.22. "Reliable documentation" means a standardized, state-wide form of identification such as a nontransferable necklace or bracelet of uniform design, adopted by the director of health, with consultation from the local community emergency medical services agencies and licensed hospice and home health agencies, that signifies and certifies that a valid and current declaration is on file and that the individual is a qualified patient.23. "Request regarding resuscitative and life sustaining measures" means a written document, signed by: a. A qualified patient with capacity, or a recognized health care decision maker; andb. The MOLST qualified health care provider, which directs a health care provider regarding resuscitative and life sustaining measures. Such a request regarding resuscitative and life sustaining measures is a medical order.24. "R.I. Gen. Laws" means the General Laws of Rhode Island, as amended.25. "Terminal condition" means an incurable or irreversible condition that, without the administration of life sustaining procedures, will, in the opinion of the attending physician, result in death.26. "These Regulations" means all parts of Rhode Island rules and regulations pertaining to Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment.27. "Updating a MOLST form" means to revise an existing MOLST form by voiding the existing form and completing a new MOLST form in accordance with these Regulations.216 R.I. Code R. 216-RICR-20-15-4.2