§ 418.100 Condition of Participation: Organization and administration of services.

The hospice must organize, manage, and administer its resources to provide the hospice care and services to patients, caregivers and families necessary for the palliation and management of the terminal illness and related conditions.

(a) Standard: Serving the hospice patient and family. The hospice must provide hospice care that—

(1) Optimizes comfort and dignity; and

(2) Is consistent with patient and family needs and goals, with patient needs and goals as priority.

(b) Standard: Governing body and administrator. A governing body (or designated persons so functioning) assumes full legal authority and responsibility for the management of the hospice, the provision of all hospice services, its fiscal operations, and continuous quality assessment and performance improvement. A qualified administrator appointed by and reporting to the governing body is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the hospice. The administrator must be a hospice employee and possess education and experience required by the hospice's governing body.