Core Services

40.4 - Core Services (Rev. 141, Issued: 03-02-11, Effective: 01-01-11: Implementation: 03-23-11) With the exception of physician services, substantially all core services must be provided directly by hospice employees on a routine basis. These services must be provided in a manner consistent with acceptable standards of practice. The following are hospice core services: • Physician services. • Nursing services, (routinely available and/or on call on a 24-hour basis, 7 days a week) provided by or under the supervision of an RN functioning within a plan of care developed by the hospice IDG in consultation with the patient’s attending physician, if the patient has one. • Medical social services by a qualified social worker under the direction of a physician. • Counseling (including, but not limited to, bereavement, dietary, and spiritual counseling) with respect to care of the terminally ill individual and adjustment to death. The hospice must make bereavement services available to the family and other individuals identified in the bereavement plan of care up to 1 year following the death of the patient. The hospice may contract for physician services as specified in the Conditions of Participation.