Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia › Department 111 - RULES OF DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY HEALTH › Chapter 111-8 - HEALTHCARE FACILITY REGULATION › Subject 111-8-37 - RULE AND REGULATIONS FOR HOSPICES › Rule 111-8-37-.16 - Home Care

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through June 27, 2024
(1) The hospice must provide home care
				services to patients primarily in the patients' home. At least 51 percent of
				the total of all hospice care days, delivered by the hospice in the fiscal year
				to terminally ill patients must be delivered in the homes of the terminally ill
				patients.
(2) During home care
				visits, the hospice employee must provide continuing education for the patient
				and the patient's primary caregiver regarding the progression of the patient's
				illness and the patient's care needs.
(3) If, during the home care visit, there are
				observed or communicated significant changes in the patient's condition or
				needs, or if the hospice employee or volunteer observes that the patient's
				primary caregiver cannot provide the continuing support and care the patient
				requires, such findings must be communicated to the patient's hospice care team
				in a sufficiently timely manner to ensure that the patient's care and safety
				needs are addressed.
(4) When
				hospice services are provided to a patient who is a resident of a licensed
				nursing home, licensed intermediate care home, licensed personal care home or
				licensed assisted living community, or another licensed hospice operating an
				inpatient unit, there must be written communication evidencing an understanding
				between the hospice and the licensed facility that makes clear that the hospice
				takes full responsibility for professional management of the patient's hospice
				care and that the licensed nursing home, licensed intermediate care home,
				licensed personal care home or licensed assisted living community takes
				responsibility for the other services the patient needs or receives that the
				licensed facility is authorized to provide.
(a) The written communication must clearly
				specify the patient-care activities and responsibilities that will be performed
				by the hospice employees and volunteers and those patient care tasks that will
				be performed by employees of the facility where the hospice patient resides.
				Hospice employees and volunteers must provide those services for which they are
				assigned responsibility in the hospice's plan of care for the
				patient.
(b) The written
				communication must specify an individual from the hospice and an individual
				from the facility where the patient resides who shall be responsible for
				communication between services providers regarding each patient's treatment and
				condition and for addressing any care issues. Such communication must be
				ongoing throughout the period of hospice service provision and must be
				documented in the patient's hospice medical record.
(c) The hospice must provide a copy of any
				self-determination documentation to the licensed nursing home, licensed
				intermediate care home, licensed personal care home or licensed assisted living
				community where the patient resides and must communicate with the facility as
				to the procedure for the appropriate implementation of any advance directive or
				physician's order for life sustaining treatment.