(a) In general.- The Department shall adopt rules and regulations that set standards for the care, treatment, health, safety, welfare, and comfort of patients of home health agencies.
(b) Licensing.- The rules and regulations shall provide for the licensing of home health agencies and annual license renewal, and shall establish standards that require as a minimum, that all home health agencies:
(1) Within 10 days of acceptance of a patient for skilled care, make and record all reasonable efforts to contact a physician to obtain the signed order required under item (2) of this subsection;
(2) That accept patients for skilled care do so only on the signed order of a physician obtained within 28 days after acceptance;
(3) Adopt procedures for the administration of drugs and biologicals;
(4) Maintain clinical records on all patients accepted for skilled care;
(5) Establish patient care policies and personnel policies;
(6) Have services available at least 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, and available on an emergency basis 24 hours a day, 7 days a week;
(7) Make service available to an individual in need within 24 hours of a referral when stipulated by a physician's order;
(8) Have a designated supervisor of patient care who is a full-time employee of the agency and is available at all times during operating hours and additionally as needed; and
(9) Have as the administrator of the agency a person who has at least 1 year of supervisory experience in hospital management, home health management, or public health program management and who is:
(i) A licensed physician;
(ii) A registered nurse; or
(iii) A college graduate with a bachelor's degree in a health-related field.
(c) Additional requirements.- The rules and regulations may include provisions that:
(1) Deal with the establishment of home health agencies;
(2) Require each home health agency to have its policies established by a professional group that includes at least:
(i) 1 physician;
(ii) 1 registered nurse;
(iii) 1 representative of another offered service; and
(iv) 1 public member;
(3) Govern the services provided by the home health agencies;
(4) Require keeping clinical records of each patient, including the plan of treatment to be provided;
(5) Govern supervision of the services, as appropriate, by:
(i) A physician;
(ii) A registered nurse; or
(iii) Another health professional who is qualified sufficiently by advanced training to supervise the same kind of services in a hospital; and
(6) Require submission of an annual report which includes service utilization statistics.
(d) Duty to obtain certificate of need not waived.- The provisions of this section do not waive the requirement for a home health agency to obtain a certificate of need.
(a) In general.- The Department shall adopt rules and regulations that set standards for the care, treatment, health, safety, welfare, and comfort of patients of home health agencies.
(b) Licensing.- The rules and regulations shall provide for the licensing of home health agencies and annual license renewal, and shall establish standards that require as a minimum, that all home health agencies:
(1) Within 10 days of acceptance of a patient for skilled care, make and record all reasonable efforts to contact a physician to obtain the signed order required under item (2) of this subsection;
(2) That accept patients for skilled care do so only on the signed order of a physician obtained within 28 days after acceptance;
(3) Adopt procedures for the administration of drugs and biologicals;
(4) Maintain clinical records on all patients accepted for skilled care;
(5) Establish patient care policies and personnel policies;
(6) Have services available at least 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, and available on an emergency basis 24 hours a day, 7 days a week;
(7) Make service available to an individual in need within 24 hours of a referral when stipulated by a physician's order;
(8) Have a designated supervisor of patient care who is a full-time employee of the agency and is available at all times during operating hours and additionally as needed; and
(9) Have as the administrator of the agency a person who has at least 1 year of supervisory experience in hospital management, home health management, or public health program management and who is:
(i) A licensed physician;
(ii) A registered nurse; or
(iii) A college graduate with a bachelor's degree in a health-related field.
(c) Additional requirements.- The rules and regulations may include provisions that:
(1) Deal with the establishment of home health agencies;
(2) Require each home health agency to have its policies established by a professional group that includes at least:
(i) 1 physician;
(ii) 1 registered nurse;
(iii) 1 representative of another offered service; and
(iv) 1 public member;
(3) Govern the services provided by the home health agencies;
(4) Require keeping clinical records of each patient, including the plan of treatment to be provided;
(5) Govern supervision of the services, as appropriate, by:
(i) A physician;
(ii) A registered nurse; or
(iii) Another health professional who is qualified sufficiently by advanced training to supervise the same kind of services in a hospital; and
(6) Require submission of an annual report which includes service utilization statistics.
(d) Duty to obtain certificate of need not waived.- The provisions of this section do not waive the requirement for a home health agency to obtain a certificate of need.
(a) In general.- The Department shall adopt rules and regulations that set standards for the care, treatment, health, safety, welfare, and comfort of patients of home health agencies.
(b) Licensing.- The rules and regulations shall provide for the licensing of home health agencies and annual license renewal, and shall establish standards that require as a minimum, that all home health agencies:
(1) Within 10 days of acceptance of a patient for skilled care, make and record all reasonable efforts to contact a physician to obtain the signed order required under item (2) of this subsection;
(2) That accept patients for skilled care do so only on the signed order of a physician obtained within 28 days after acceptance;
(3) Adopt procedures for the administration of drugs and biologicals;
(4) Maintain clinical records on all patients accepted for skilled care;
(5) Establish patient care policies and personnel policies;
(6) Have services available at least 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, and available on an emergency basis 24 hours a day, 7 days a week;
(7) Make service available to an individual in need within 24 hours of a referral when stipulated by a physician's order;
(8) Have a designated supervisor of patient care who is a full-time employee of the agency and is available at all times during operating hours and additionally as needed; and
(9) Have as the administrator of the agency a person who has at least 1 year of supervisory experience in hospital management, home health management, or public health program management and who is:
(i) A licensed physician;
(ii) A registered nurse; or
(iii) A college graduate with a bachelor's degree in a health-related field.
(c) Additional requirements.- The rules and regulations may include provisions that:
(1) Deal with the establishment of home health agencies;
(2) Require each home health agency to have its policies established by a professional group that includes at least:
(i) 1 physician;
(ii) 1 registered nurse;
(iii) 1 representative of another offered service; and
(iv) 1 public member;
(3) Govern the services provided by the home health agencies;
(4) Require keeping clinical records of each patient, including the plan of treatment to be provided;
(5) Govern supervision of the services, as appropriate, by:
(i) A physician;
(ii) A registered nurse; or
(iii) Another health professional who is qualified sufficiently by advanced training to supervise the same kind of services in a hospital; and
(6) Require submission of an annual report which includes service utilization statistics.
(d) Duty to obtain certificate of need not waived.- The provisions of this section do not waive the requirement for a home health agency to obtain a certificate of need.
