135J.1 - DEFINITIONS.



        135J.1  DEFINITIONS.
         For the purposes of this chapter unless otherwise defined:
         1.  "Core services" means physician services, nursing
      services, medical social services, counseling services, and volunteer
      services.  These core services, as well as others deemed necessary by
      the hospice in delivering safe and appropriate care to its case load,
      can be provided through either direct or indirect arrangement by the
      hospice.
         2.  "Department" means the department of inspections and
      appeals.
         3.  "Hospice patient" or "patient" means a diagnosed
      terminally ill person with an anticipated life expectancy of six
      months or less, as certified by the attending physician, who, alone
      or in conjunction with a unit of care as defined in subsection 8, has
      voluntarily requested and received admission into the hospice
      program.  If the patient is unable to request admission, a family
      member may voluntarily request and receive admission on the patient's
      behalf.
         4.  "Hospice patient's family" means the immediate kin of the
      patient, including a spouse, parent, stepparent, brother, sister,
      stepbrother, stepsister, child, or stepchild.  Additional relatives
      or individuals with significant personal ties to the hospice patient
      may be included in the hospice patient's family.
         5.  "Hospice program" means a centrally coordinated program of
      home and inpatient care provided directly or through an agreement
      under the direction of an identifiable hospice administration
      providing palliative care and supportive medical and other health
      services to terminally ill patients and their families.  A licensed
      hospice program shall utilize a medically directed interdisciplinary
      team and provide care to meet the physical, emotional, social,
      spiritual, and other special needs which are experienced during the
      final stages of illness, dying, and bereavement.  Hospice care shall
      be available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
         6.  "Interdisciplinary team" means the hospice patient and the
      hospice patient's family, the attending physician, and all of the
      following individuals trained to serve with a licensed hospice
      program:
         a.  A licensed physician pursuant to chapter 148.
         b.  A licensed registered nurse pursuant to chapter 152.
         c.  An individual with at least a baccalaureate degree in the
      field of social work providing medical-social services.
         d.  Trained hospice volunteers.
         e.  As deemed appropriate by the hospice, providers of special
      services including but not limited to a spiritual counselor, a
      pharmacist, or professionals in the fields of mental health may be
      included on the interdisciplinary team.
         7.  "Palliative care" means care directed at managing symptoms
      experienced by the hospice patient, as well as addressing related
      needs of the patient and family as they experience the stress of the
      dying process.  The intent of palliative care is to enhance the
      quality of life for the hospice patient and family unit, and is not
      treatment directed at cure of the terminal illness.
         8.  "Unit of care" means the patient and the patient's family
      within a hospice program.
         9.  "Volunteer services" means the services provided by
      individuals who have successfully completed a training program
      developed by a licensed hospice program.  
         Section History: Recent Form
         84 Acts, ch 1284, § 2
         C85, § 135.90
         90 Acts, ch 1204, § 66
         C91, § 135J.1
         2005 Acts, ch 3, §32; 2008 Acts, ch 1088, §91; 2009 Acts, ch 133,
      §196
         Referred to in § 144C.2, 331.802