La. Admin. Code tit. 48 § I-8089

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section I-8089 - Agency Operations

A. Premises (see definition of CRCC premises)

1. The CRCC must have a distinct telephone number. If the telephone number is shared with other health care related agencies, the telephone operator(s) shall demonstrate knowledge and ability to distinguish and direct calls to the appropriate persons. If an answering service is used after normal hours, there shall be evidence of distinct CRCC staff and the answering service should be able to direct calls to the appropriate persons for each service. Staff shall be able to distinguish and describe the scope and delineation of all activities being provided by the CRCC.

2. Staff working areas shall be designed so that when planning for services, patient confidentiality is maintained.

3. The CRCC shall not share office space with a non-health care related entity. When office space is shared with another health care related entity, the CRCC shall operate separate and apart.

B. Hours of Operation

1. CRCC provides medical and nursing services 24 hours a day, seven days per week. In addition the facility shall ensure staff availability to assess and meet changing patient/family needs, provide instruction and support, and conduct additional assessment or treatment, 24 hours a day, seven days per week.

2. If the CRCC has no inpatients, there still shall be an RN on call at all times.

C. All policies and procedures:

1. shall be written, current, and annually reviewed by appropriate personnel;

2. shall contain policies and procedures specific to agency addressing personnel standards and qualifications, personnel records, agency operations, emergency procedures, patient care standards, patient rights and responsibilities, problem and complaint resolution, purpose and goals of operation, the defined service area, emergency/disaster procedures, as well as regulatory and compliance issues; and

3. shall meet or exceed requirements of the licensing standards and all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

D. Operational Requirements

1. CRCC's responsibility to the community:

a. shall not accept orders to assess or admit from any source other than a licensed physician or authorized physician representative (e.g., hospital discharge planner);

b. shall use only factual information in advertising;

c. shall not participate in solicitation;

d. shall not accept as a patient any person who does not have a diagnosis of a life-limiting illness and meet the age requirements;

e. shall develop policies/procedures for patients with no or limited payor source;

f. shall have policies and procedures and a written plan for emergency operations in case of disaster;

g. is prohibited from harassing or coercing a prospective patient or staff member to use a specific facility or to change to another CRCC;

h. shall have policies and procedures for post-mortem care in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws;

i. may participate as community educators in community/health fairs; and

j. may provide free non-invasive diagnostic tests, such as blood pressure screening.

2. CRCC's responsibility to the patient shall include, but is not limited to:

a. being in compliance with licensing standards and all applicable federal, state, and local laws at all times;

b. acting as the patient advocate in medical decisions affecting the patient;

c. protecting the patient from unsafe skilled and unskilled practices;

d. protecting the patient from being harassed, bribed, and or any form of mistreatment by an employee or volunteer of the agency;

e. providing patient information on the patient's rights and responsibilities;

f. providing information on advanced directives in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws;

g. protecting and assuring that patient's rights are not violated;

h. encouraging the patient/family to participate in developing the POC and provision of services;

i. making appropriate referrals for family members outside the CRCC's service area for bereavement follow-up.

3. Responsibility of the CRCC to the staff shall include, but is not limited to:

a. providing a safe working environment;

b. having safety and emergency preparedness programs that conform with federal, state, and local requirements and that include:

i. a plan for reporting, monitoring, and follow-up on all accidents, injuries, and safety hazards;

ii. documentation of all reports, monitoring activity, and follow-up actions, education for patient/family, care givers, employees and volunteers on the safe use of medical equipment;

iii. evidence that equipment maintenance and safety requirements have been met;

iv. policies and procedures for storing, accessing, and distributing abusable drugs, supplies and equipment;

v. a safe and sanitary system for identifying, handling, and disposing of potentially infectious biomedical wastes; and

vi. a policy regarding use of smoking materials in all care settings;

c. have policies which encourage realistic performance expectations;

d. provide adequate time on schedule for required travel;

e. provide adequate information, in-service training, supplies, and other support for all employees to perform to the best of their ability; and

f. provide in-service training to promote effective, quality CRCC care.

La. Admin. Code tit. 48, § I-8089

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of the Secretary, Bureau of Health Services Financing, LR 31:459 (February 2005).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 40:2175.14(B).