Do you remember how the Terri Schiavo case mobilized this nation?

We shared the agony of her family in the complicated, and legal, tug of war being waged to decide the fate of the 41-year-old, brain-damaged woman.

A mad scramble ensued while people everywhere drew up living wills to spell out their own wishes on end-of-life issues. They appointed durable powers of attorney, naming a proxy to carry out these directives on their behalf, if they should become unable.

But, were we covered for all contingencies? Not always. Because the way our laws are written, living wills and powers of attorney documents can present uncertainties on how they are to be used; there were many “gray” areas.

For instance, in the living will and durable power of attorney for health care, the “do not resuscitate” clauses could not be implemented in any but terminal cases, and were not valid in all situations. The old DNR law assumes one was to be resuscitated unless they had a DNR specifically written, and it had to be in a place where emergency personnel could find it. In the confusion, living wills were often not being honored.

Thankfully, for all of us, Robert A. Ancker, medical director for Kootenai Medical Center’s Palliative Care Services and medical director for Hospice of North Idaho, realizing there had to be a better way, formed a task force of health-care professionals, who designed a simpler, less complicated form – a form that easily assures a patient’s wishes were known and honored by the entire health care system.

Thus was born the Idaho POST DNR Form. This changed existing rules. This document, effective July 1, 2007, replaces the Comfort One/DNR Form. This does not invalidate the documents currently in place, including Comfort One DNR.

The POST (for Physician’s Order for Scope of Treatment) form is one-page, written in everyday language. Choices are clear and concise. People can make specific decisions about specific situations. It goes where the person goes and any readable copy is considered valid anywhere. Health-care providers are obligated to follow your wishes.

The POST is an actual physician’s order, completed by patient and physician and signed by a physician. It’s available from a physician and is not valid unless signed by a physician.

And here is more good news. All of these documents can be registered free of charge with a national Health Care Directive Registry, by submitting a list of all your health-care directives. Your information becomes part of the national Health Care Directive’s data bank where it can be accessed by any health-care professional in the world.

The Idaho POST DNR is really all anyone needs. If you already have a living will and/or a durable power of attorney for health care, they are still valid and still helpful, but they are not required in order to have a POST DNR. The POST can stand alone, or with your other advanced-care forms. You can and should register one or all of them.

There’s a plastic ID bracelet available to identify that you have a POST DNR, and that your directives are in the national Registry of Health Care Directives. This helps emergency personnel discover and honor your choice not to be resuscitated.

There are POST DNR laws in only three other states besides Idaho – Oregon, New York and West Virginia. Eleven more states have similar forms in the works.

For elderly or ill people living at home, or in a care facility without a registered nurse on site, having a POST DNR avoids needless transferring between facilities when you have a life-threatening emergency. By law, these facilities are required to call 911 to resuscitate you. Having a POST DNR in place eliminates the need for the 911 call. There’s less confusion for everyone, and there is minimal commotion for the patient.

Idaho Hospice should be included in all advanced-care planning directives. This enables Hospice to enter the care scene immediately to begin palliative care, and to keep a person comfortable and out of pain from the moment their POST DNR goes into effect. Arrangements with Hospice can assure one’s transition to final care is as seamless as possible.

When asked what drew him to this arena of medical care, Ancker said he remembered how his grandparents had been cared for at home in their final years, and how their passing had been very peaceful for them and for everyone. He is passionate about providing this option for everyone.