Standards

Standards. The Department shall prescribe, by regulation, minimum standards for licensed hospice programs. (a) The standards for all hospice programs shall include, but not be limited to, the following: (1) (Blank). (2) The number and qualifications of persons providing direct hospice services. (3) The qualifications of those persons contracted with to provide indirect hospice services. (4) The palliative and supportive care and bereavement counseling provided to a hospice patient and his family. (5) Hospice services provided on an inpatient basis. (6) Utilization review of patient care. (7) The quality of care provided to patients. (8) Procedures for the accurate and centralized maintenance of records on hospice services provided to patients and their families. (9) The use of volunteers in the hospice program, and the training of those volunteers. (10) The rights of the patient and the patient's family. (b) (Blank). (c) The standards for hospices owning or operating hospice residences shall address the following: (1) The safety, cleanliness, and general adequacy of the premises, including provision for maintenance of fire and health standards that conform to State laws and municipal codes, to provide for the physical comfort, well-being, care, and protection of the residents. (2) Provisions and criteria for admission, discharge, and transfer of residents. (3) Fee and other contractual agreements with residents. (4) Medical and supportive services for residents. (5) Maintenance of records and residents' right of access of those records. (6) Procedures for reporting abuse or neglect of residents. (7) The number of persons who may be served in a residence, which shall not exceed 24 persons per location. (8) The ownership, operation, and maintenance of buildings containing a hospice residence. (9) The number of licensed hospice residences shall not exceed 6 before December 31, 1996 and shall not exceed 12 before December 31, 1997. The Department shall conduct a study of the benefits of hospice residences and make a recommendation to the General Assembly as to the need to limit the number of hospice residences after June 30, 1997. The number of licensed hospice residences shall not exceed the following: (A) Sixteen hospice residences located in counties with a population of 700,000 or more. (B) Sixteen hospice residences located in counties with a population of 200,000 or more but less than 700,000. (C) Sixteen hospice residences located in counties with a population of less than 200,000. (d) In developing the standards for hospices, the Department shall take into consideration the category of the hospice programs. (Source: P.A. 103-114, eff. 1-1-24.)