42 CFR § 418.78

§ 418.78 Conditions of participation—Volunteers.

This regulation establishes conditions of participation for hospice programs regarding the use of volunteers. Hospices must train, supervise, recruit, and retain volunteers in defined administrative and/or direct patient care roles, and must document cost savings achieved through volunteer use. Volunteers must provide services equaling at least 5 percent of total patient care hours of all paid hospice employees and contract staff, with records maintained on volunteer time and service types.

§ 418.78 Conditions of participation—Volunteers.

The hospice must use volunteers to the extent specified in paragraph (e) of this section. These volunteers must be used in defined roles and under the supervision of a designated hospice employee.

(a) 
Standard: Training.
 The hospice must maintain, document, and provide volunteer orientation and training that is consistent with hospice industry standards.

(b) 
Standard: Role.
 Volunteers must be used in day-to-day administrative and/or direct patient care roles.

(c) 
Standard: Recruiting and retaining.
 The hospice must document and demonstrate viable and ongoing efforts to recruit and retain volunteers.

(d) 
Standard: Cost saving.
 The hospice must document the cost savings achieved through the use of volunteers. Documentation must include the following:

(1) The identification of each position that is occupied by a volunteer.

(2) The work time spent by volunteers occupying those positions.

(3) Estimates of the dollar costs that the hospice would have incurred if paid employees occupied the positions identified in paragraph (d)(1) of this section for the amount of time specified in paragraph (d)(2) of this section.

(e) 
Standard: Level of activity.
 Volunteers must provide day-to-day administrative and/or direct patient care services in an amount that, at a minimum, equals 5 percent of the total patient care hours of all paid hospice employees and contract staff. The hospice must maintain records on the use of volunteers for patient care and administrative services, including the type of services and time worked.