Audiology: Audiology services are the study of hearing loss and related disorders, such as balance disorders and tinnitus (ringing in the ears). An Audiologist is a licensed professional who provides services for the prevention of hearing loss and the identification, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of persons with impairments as ordered by a licensed physician or other authorized practitioner, and are included in the plan of care.

Baseline Services - Hospice: Hospice is a coordinated program of home and inpatient care which treats terminally ill patients and family as a unit. It employs an interdisciplinary team acting under the direction of a hospice administrator. The hospice program provides palliative and supportive care to meet the special needs arising out of physical, psychological, spiritual, social and economic stresses which are experienced during the final stages of illness, and during the dying and bereavement processes.

Bereavement: Bereavement services are supportive to the family and assist them in coping with the death of the patient. Bereavement services are provided by a qualified professional with experience or education in grief or loss counseling, and are available to the family and other individuals in the bereavement plan of care for up to one year following the patient's death.

Clinical Laboratory Service: Specific approved tests performed by the hospice that are not self-administered. Tests are performed by authorized personnel for the purpose of providing information for the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of disease and for the assessment of the health of patients.

Home Health Aide: Hospice aide services are performed by a certified home health aide who has completed an approved home health aide training program. The hospice aide carries out health care tasks and may provide assistance with personal hygiene, housekeeping, and other related supportive tasks to a patient in his/her home. Such services are supervised by a registered professional nurse and included in the hospice plan of care.

Homemaker: Services are performed by a person who has completed hospice orientation addressing the unique needs and concerns of patients and families coping with terminal illness. The homemaker assists patients at home due to illness and/or the absence of a caretaker relative in managing and maintaining a household. He/she performs household tasks under the supervision of a registered professional nurse and included in the hospice plan of care.

Hospice residence: A hospice residence is a hospice operated home which is residential in character and physical structure, and operated for the purpose of providing hospice care to three to sixteen hospice patients.

Housekeeper: Housekeeper services are performed by a person that does light work or household tasks for hospice patients at home due to the absence of a caretaker relative. He/she performs the tasks under the supervision of a registered professional nurse and included in the hospice plan of care.

Inpatient Certified: Inpatient Certified designates certain hospices that operate their own dedicated hospice-only inpatient beds for the provision of hospice inpatient services.

Inpatient Services: Short term inpatient services are provided to a hospice patient for symptom management and pain control when the patient's symptoms cannot be effectively controlled in the home and are affecting the patient's quality of life. Inpatient services can also be provided for respite purposes for a limited time, when the hospice patient's caregiver is overwhelmed with the care, or has either an emergency which requires temporary departure from the hospice patient, or has other obligations which interfere with the caregiver's ability to provide care.

Medical Social Services: Services are provided by a licensed social worker and include the assessment and management of problems that are related to the patient's and family's adjustment to the terminal illness; the social and emotional factors caused by the patient's illness; the financial resources and constraints related to the illness; and the coping mechanisms and the family dynamics related to the terminal illness. Services are included in the plan of care established by the hospice interdisciplinary group.

Medical Supplies Equipment and Appliances: Medical supplies equipment and appliances are those items primarily and customarily used to serve a medical purpose and which are generally not useful to a person in the absence of an injury or illness. The medical supplies equipment and appliances are included in the plan of care established by the hospice interdisciplinary group.

Nursing Services: Nursing services are provided by or under the supervision of a registered professional nurse to those who are terminally ill. Nursing services must ensure that the nursing needs of the patient are met in accordance with the patient's assessment and plan of care. A registered professional nurse is a member of the interdisciplinary group. This registered professional nurse oversees and coordinates the patient's hospice care, ensures continuous assessment of each patient's and family's needs and implementation of the interdisciplinary plan of care.

Nutritional Services: Services are the assessment of the unique nutritional needs of a terminally ill patient; planning for and provision of nutritional education and counseling to address and ensure the patient's dietary needs are met. Services are provided by a licensed dietician or qualified registered professional nurse and included in the plan of care established by the hospice interdisciplinary group.

Pastoral Care: Services are provided for the spiritual, religious and emotional support of the patient and family. Spiritual counseling is provided, in accordance with the patient and family acceptance of the service and is consistent with the patient and family beliefs and desires. The hospice must make reasonable efforts to facilitate visits by local clergy, pastoral counselors or other individuals who can support the patient's spiritual needs.

Personal Care: Services are provided by a certified Personal Care Aide and include assistance with the patient's personal hygiene, dressing, feeding and household tasks. Personal care services are supervised by a registered professional nurse and included in the plan of care established by the hospice interdisciplinary group.

Pharmaceutical Service: The hospice provides drugs and biologicals related to the palliation and management of the terminal illness and related conditions as identified in the hospice plan of care while the patient is under hospice care.

Physician Services: Physician services are the medical care and treatment, palliation and management of the terminal illness and conditions related to the terminal illness. Physician services may be provided by the hospice medical director, hospice employed physicians or contracted physicians, in conjunction with the patient's attending physician, licensed and registered to practice in NYS.

Psychology: Counseling services are available to assist the patient and family in minimizing the stress and problems that arise from the terminal illness, related conditions, and the dying process.

Therapy - Occupational: Occupational therapy activities help the patient maintain independence in activities of daily living despite impairments or limitations in physical or mental functioning. The occupational therapist teaches manual skills and independence in personal care to stimulate mental and emotional activity. The treatment program is designed maintain function and includes occupational therapy and rehabilitative nursing in a coordinated and integrated program. Services are included in the plan of care established by the hospice interdisciplinary group.

Therapy - Physical: The Physical therapist uses physical, chemical and mechanical means including heat, cold, light, air, water, sound, electricity, massage, mobilization, and therapeutic exercise with or without assistive devices. Additional activities may include the provision of clinical and consultative services; the direction of patients in the use, function and care of braces, artificial limbs and other devices/prescribing therapeutic exercises; counseling patients and their relatives, administering whirlpool and compact baths. Services are included in the plan of care established by the hospice interdisciplinary group.

Therapy - Respiratory: The Respiratory Therapist uses medical gases and environmental control systems, mechanical ventilator support, artificial airway care, bronchopulmonary hygiene, pharmacologic agents that are related to respiratory care procedures, and cardiopulmonary maintenance. Services are included in the plan of care established by the hospice interdisciplinary group.

Therapy - Speech Language Pathology: A speech language therapist instructs patients in prescribed academic subjects to prevent mental deconditioning, improve patients' mental and physical conditions and aid in the attainment of knowledge and skills that will further patients' progress toward vocational objectives. Services are included in the plan of care established by the hospice interdisciplinary group.