Texas Administrative Code › Title 26 - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES › Part 1 - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION › Chapter 558 - LICENSING STANDARDS FOR HOME AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES AGENCIES › Subchapter D - ADDITIONAL STANDARDS SPECIFIC TO LICENSE CATEGORY AND SPECIFIC TO SPECIAL SERVICES › Section 558.401 - Standards Specific to Licensed Home Health Services

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a) In addition to the standards in
				  Subchapter C of this chapter (relating to Minimum Standards for All Home and
				  Community Support Services Agencies), an agency providing licensed home health
				  services must also meet the standards of this section.
(b) The agency must accept a client for home
				  health services based on a reasonable expectation that the client's medical,
				  nursing, and social needs can be met adequately in the client's residence. An
				  agency has made a reasonable expectation that it can meet a client's needs if,
				  at the time of the agency's acceptance of the client, the client and the agency
				  have agreed as to what needs the agency would meet; for instance, the agency
				  and the client could agree that some needs would be met but not necessarily all
				  needs.
(1) The agency must start providing
				  licensed home health services to a client within a reasonable time after
				  acceptance of the client and according to the agency's policy. The initiation
				  of licensed home health services must be based on the client's health service
				  needs.
(2) An initial health
				  assessment must be performed in the client's residence by the appropriate
				  health care professional prior to or at the time that licensed home health
				  services are initially provided to the client. The assessment must determine
				  whether the agency can provide the necessary services.
(A) If a practitioner has not ordered skilled
				  care for a client, then the appropriate health care professional must prepare a
				  care plan. The care plan must be developed after consultation with the client
				  and the client's family and must include services to be rendered, the frequency
				  of visits or hours of service, identified problems, method of intervention, and
				  projected date of resolution. The care plan must be reviewed and updated by all
				  appropriate staff members involved in client care at least annually, or more
				  often as necessary to meet the needs of the client.
(B) If a practitioner orders skilled
				  treatment, then the appropriate health care professional must prepare a plan of
				  care. The plan of care must be signed and approved by a practitioner in a
				  timely manner. The plan of care must be developed in conjunction with agency
				  staff and must cover all pertinent diagnoses, including mental status, types of
				  services and equipment required, frequency of visits at the time of admission,
				  prognoses, functional limitations, activities permitted, nutritional
				  requirements, medications and treatments, any safety measures to protect
				  against injury, and any other appropriate items. The appropriate health care
				  personnel must perform services as specified in the plan of care. The plan of
				  care must be revised as necessary, but it must be reviewed and updated at least
				  every six months.