Alabama Administrative Code
Title 420 - ALABAMA STATE BOARD OF HEALTH
Chapter 420-5-17 - HOSPICES
Section 420-5-17-.01 - Definitions

(a) "Aide" means an individual who provides personal care services for hospice patients and their families as set forth under 420-5-17-.13.

(b) "Applicant" means a person or public agency legally responsible for operation of the hospice.

(c) "Attending Physician" means the physician identified by the hospice patient or the hospice patient's family as having primary responsibility for the hospice patient's medical care.

(d) "Biological" means a drug with a component containing a virus, therapeutic serum, toxin, antitoxin, or analogous product applicable to the prevention, treatment, or cure of diseases or injury in man.

(e) "Qualified Dietitian" means a person who graduated from an approved school and is licensed in the State of Alabama in accordance with Title 34, Chapter 34A Code of Ala. 1975.

(f) "Dietary Manager" is a person who 1) is a qualified dietitian, or 2) is a graduate of a dietetic technician program approved by the American Dietetic Association, or 3) is a graduate of a dietary managers training program, approved by the Dietary Managers Association.

(g) "Governing Body" means the entity that has ultimate responsibility and authority for the overall operation of a Hospice Care Program, as set forth under 420-5-17-.05.

(h) "Hospice Care Program" or "program" means a coordinated program of home, outpatient, and inpatient care and services including the coordination of the services listed below to hospice patients and families, through a medically directed interdisciplinary team, under interdisciplinary plans of care established pursuant to Section 22-21-20 of the Code of Ala. 1975, in order to meet the physical, psychological, social, spiritual, and other special needs that are experienced during the final stages of illness, dying, and bereavement:

(i) "Hospice Patient" or "Patient" means a patient who has been diagnosed as terminally ill, has a limited life expectancy, and has voluntarily requested and is receiving palliative care from a person or agency licensed to provide a hospice care program under Chapter 17.

(j) "Hospice Patient's Family" or "Family" means a hospice patient's immediate family members, including a spouse, brother, sister, child, or parent, and any other relative or individual who has significant personal ties to the patient and who is designated as a member of the patient's family by mutual agreement of the patient, the relative or individual, and the hospice program's interdisciplinary team.

(k) "Inhome Hospice" means a facility that provides hospice care services in a patient's home.

(l) "Inpatient Hospice" means a facility that either is operated by or under contract with a hospice care program for the purpose of providing inpatient care to the program's patients.

(m) "Interdisciplinary Plan of Care" or "Plan of Care" means the interdisciplinary plan for care of a hospice patient and his or her family.

(n) "Interdisciplinary Team" means a working unit composed of professional and lay persons that includes at least a physician, a registered nurse, a social worker, a chaplain, member of the clergy or a counselor, and a volunteer coordinator.

(o) "Legend Drug" means a prescription drug.

(p) "Licensed Practical Nurse" means a person licensed in accordance with Code of Ala. 1975, Section 34-21-22.

(q) "Manager" means a person delegated the responsibility for the interpretation, implementation, and proper application of policies and programs established by the governing authority. This responsibility shall be accompanied by corresponding authority.

(r) "May" indicates permission.

(s) "Nurse" means registered nurse or licensed practical nurse.

(t) "OTC Drug" means a non-prescription drug.

(u) "Palliative Care" means treatment directed at controlling pain, relieving other symptoms, and focusing on the special needs of a hospice patient and the hospice patient's family as they experience the stress of the dying process, rather than treatment aimed at investigation and intervention for the purpose of cure or prolongation of life.

(v) "Person" means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, public agency, partnership, and/or association.

(w) "Pharmacist" means a person graduated from an approved school of pharmacy currently licensed to practice pharmacy in Alabama under the provisions of Title 34, Chapter 23 of Code of Ala. 1975.

(x) "Physician" means a person currently licensed to practice medicine in accordance with Title 34, Chapter 24, Article 8 of Code of Ala. 1975.

(y) "Respite Care" means hospice care program services provided by the program to give temporary relief to a hospice patient's family or other caregivers.

(z) "Registered Nurse" means a person licensed in accordance with Code of Ala. 1975, Section 34-21-21.

(aa) "Shall" indicates mandatory requirements.

(bb) "Social Worker" means a person who holds at least a bachelors degree in social work from an accredited school of social work, and is currently licensed by the State of Alabama or supervised in accordance with Title 34, Chapter 30 of Code of Ala. 1975.

(cc) "Volunteer" means a lay or professional person who offers and provides his or her services to a hospice care program without compensation.

(dd) "Volunteer Coordinator" means a lay or professional person who is responsible for assigning volunteers to patients, families, and other duties, including recruiting, training, retaining volunteers and evaluating the volunteer program.

Author: Jimmy D. Prince