Current through Register Vol. 24-18, September 15, 2024
(1) Initial application. To apply for a
hospice care center license, an applicant must meet the initial application
requirements in WAC
246-335-320(2)(a) through (g), (i), and
(j), WAC
246-335-712(2),
and submit documentation that no more than forty-nine percent of patient care
days, in the aggregate on a biennial basis, will be provided in a hospice care
center, as required under
RCW
70.127.280(1)(d).
(2) A hospice care center licensee must meet
the renewal requirements in WAC
246-335-325.
(3) Change of ownership. A hospice care
center licensee must meet the change of ownership requirements in WAC
246-335-330.
(4) Applicant or licensee responsibilities. A
hospice care center applicant or licensee must meet the applicant or licensee
responsibilities requirements in WAC
246-335-335.
(5) Survey and investigation. The
department's survey and investigation responsibilities in WAC
246-335-340 apply to hospice care
center applicants and licensees.
(6) Plan of operation. A hospice care center
applicant or licensee must meet the plan of operation requirements in WAC
246-335-615, and ensure pets or
animals living on the premises:
(a) Have
regular examinations and immunizations, appropriate for the species, by a
veterinarian licensed in Washington state;
(b) Be veterinarian certified as free of
diseases transmit-table to humans;
(c) Are restricted from food preparation
areas; and
(d) Include only those
customarily considered domestic pets.
(7) Delivery of services. A hospice care
center applicant or licensee must:
(a) Meet
the delivery of services requirements in WAC
246-335-620; and
(b) Establish and implement policies and
procedures that ensure:
(i) Auditory and
physical privacy for the patient and family during the admitting
process;
(ii) Patient rooms are
private, unless the patient requests a roommate. Only two patients may share a
room;
(iii) Each patient is
provided a bed with a mattress appropriate to the special needs and size of the
patient; and
(iv) Availability of
clean bed and bath linens that are in good condition and free of holes and
stains.
(8)
Personnel, contractor, and volunteer policies. A hospice care center applicant
or licensee must:
(a) Meet the personnel,
contractor and volunteer policy requirements in WAC
246-335-625; and
(b) Ensure training in the safe storage and
handling of oxygen containers and other equipment as necessary.
(9) Personnel, contractor, and
volunteer records. A hospice care center applicant or licensee must meet the
personnel, contractor, and volunteer records requirements in WAC
246-335-630.
(10) Bill of rights. A hospice care center
applicant or licensee must:
(a) Meet the bill
of rights requirements in WAC
246-335-635; or
(b) For patients already being served by the
hospice agency operating the hospice care center, ensure:
(i) The bill of rights requirements have been
provided to the patient, designated family member, or legal representative;
and
(ii) Provide any additional
information needed specific to the hospice care center.
(11) Plan of care. A hospice care
center applicant or licensee must:
(a) Meet
the plan of care requirements in WAC
246-335-640; or
(b) For patients already being served by the
hospice agency operating the hospice care center, review the plan of care for
any necessary revisions, and maintain the plan of care with any revisions in
the hospice care center.
(12) Supervision. A hospice care center
applicant or licensee must:
(a) Meet the
supervision requirements in WAC
246-335-645; and
(b) Develop any necessary supervision
requirements specific to:
(i) The hospice
care center service category staffing requirements; and
(ii) Supervising personnel, volunteers and
contractors who are employed by a separately licensed hospice agency.
(13) Patient records. A
hospice care center applicant or licensee must meet the requirements in WAC
246-335-650.
(14) Quality improvement. A hospice care
center applicant or licensee must:
(a) Meet
the quality improvement requirements in WAC
246-335-655; or
(b) Ensure the hospice agency operating the
hospice care center has a quality improvement program that applies to the
hospice care center; or
(c)
Implement any needed changes or additions to the current hospice agency quality
improvement program.
(15) Home medical supplies and equipment. A
hospice care center applicant or licensee must meet the home medical supplies
and equipment requirements in WAC
246-335-660.
(16) Staffing requirements. A hospice care
center applicant or licensee must implement the following staffing
requirements:
(a) There must be adequate
staffing on duty at all times. Considerations for determining adequate staffing
include, but are not limited to:
(i) Number
of patients currently admitted and residing in the center;
(ii) Specific patient care
requirements;
(iii) Family care
needs; and
(iv) Availability of
support from other interdisciplinary team members.
(b) Two people, who may either be personnel,
contractors or volunteers, must be on duty twenty-four hours per day, seven
days per week;
(c) A registered
nurse must be available twenty-four hours per day for consultation and direct
participation in nursing care;
(d)
A registered nurse must be on-site when required to perform duties specified in
chapter 18.79 RCW;
(e) When
providing general inpatient services, a hospice care center must comply with
the staffing requirements in (a) through (d) of this subsection, and ensure:
(i) A registered nurse is present twenty-four
hours per day, seven days per week, to direct nursing services; and
(ii) Care is provided by either an RN, LPN or
home health aide to meet the needs of each patient in accordance with the plan
of care.
(f) When
providing continuous care services, a hospice care center must, in addition to
the staffing requirements in (a) through (d) of this subsection, ensure:
(i) One-on-one staffing, directed by an RN,
for a minimum of eight hours to a maximum of twenty-four hours per calendar
day; and
(ii) Care is provided by
either an RN, LPN or home health aide to meet the needs of each patient in
accordance with the plan of care.
(17) A hospice care center may either be
owned or leased. If the hospice agency leases space, all delivery of
interdisciplinary services, including staffing and management, must be done by
the hospice agency per
RCW
70.127.280(1)(g).
