Alaska Administrative Code
Title 7 - Health and Social Services
Part 1 - Administration
Chapter 12 - Facilities and Local Units
Article 11 - Home Health Agencies
7 AAC 12.590 - Definitions

(1) "'abuse" means the infliction of physical pain or injury, the infliction of mental anguish that requires medical attention, or the deprivation by a caretaker of services that are necessary to maintain the physical and mental health of an individual;

(2) "administrator" means the individual appointed by the governing body to manage the home health agency;

(3) "admixture" means a preparation of a dosage form for administration when a drug is altered, diluted, or compounded by the addition of a diluent or another drug;

(4) "agency" has the same meaning given "home health agency" in this chapter;

(5) "branch" means a location from which a home health agency provides services within a portion of the total geographic area served by the parent home health agency;

(6) "clinical progress note" means a written, signed, and dated notation by an employee or contractor of the home health agency of a contact with a patient that contains a description of care or services rendered, patient signs and symptoms, treatments, drugs given, the patient's reaction, changes in physical or emotional condition, and any other pertinent information;

(7) "department" means the Department of Health and Social Services;

(8) "governing body" means the designated persons or group having full legal authority and fiscal responsibility for the conduct and operation of the home health agency;

(9) "home health agency" means an entity that is primarily engaged in providing skilled nursing and at least one other service identified at 7 AAC 12.505;

(10) "neglect" means the failure by the caretaker of an individual to provide services necessary to maintain the physical and mental health of the individual;

(11) "nutrition services" means nutritional assessment and counseling, dietary teaching, and the monitoring and management of special diets and hyperalimentation provided by a registered dietitian;

(12) "occupational therapy assistant" means a person licensed under AS 08.84 by the State Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board to assist in the practice of occupational therapy under the supervision of an occupational therapist;

(13) "parent home health agency" means a licensed home health agency; a "parent home health agency" may have branches or subunits;

(14) "personal care services" means services of a non-technical medical nature provided to a patient whose medical needs would otherwise require placement in a hospital or nursing home that enables the patient to remain safely in their own home; "personal care services" are ordered by a physician and are designed to improve or delay deterioration of a patient's health; "personal care services" include assistance with activities of daily living, bathing, dressing, meal preparation, light housekeeping, and shopping assistance;

(15) "physical therapy assistant" means a person licensed under AS 08.84 by the State Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board to assist in the practice of physical therapy under the supervision of a physical therapist;

(16) "plan of care" means a written plan of treatment based on an attending physician's orders, established by a registered nurse or physical or occupational therapist, and periodically reviewed by a physician;

(17) "primary home health agency" means the licensed home health agency that accepts the patient for the rendering of curative, restorative, or preventive services in the patient's home by an employee of the home health agency; when services are provided through contracts with other organizations or individuals, the contracting home health agency is considered the primary home health agency and is responsible for the plan of treatment signed by the referring physician;

(18) "skilled nursing services" means the curative, restorative, or preventive aspects of patient care services performed by or under the supervision of a registered nurse emphasizing a high level of nursing direction, observation, and skill;

(19) "state survey agency" means the health facilities licensing and certification unit in the division of medical assistance that determines compliance with licensure requirements, certifies home health agencies, and investigates complaints against licensed health facilities;

(20) "subunit" means a location or site from which a home health agency provides services at a distance from the parent home health agency;

(21) "summary report" means a compilation of the pertinent facts from clinical notes at least every 62 days;

(22) "survey" means an on-site review by the department to determine compliance with state and federal law.