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<section article="ghg" article_name="Health - General" number="19-914" title_number="19" title_name="Health Care Facilities" subtitle_number="9" subtitle_name="Hospice Care Facilities">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>This section applies to a general hospice care program only when providing hospice services in an in–home setting.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>This section does not apply to a general hospice care program when providing hospice services in a nursing home, assisted living facility, or a general hospice care program facility.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>A general hospice care program shall establish a written policy that outlines the procedures for the collection and disposal of a patient’s unused prescription medication, including a procedure that requires a general hospice care employee, at the time that a patient is enrolled in the general hospice care program, to:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Discuss with the patient and the patient’s family member or personal representative the requirements under subsection (c) of this section; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Provide a written copy of the unused prescription medication collection and disposal policy to the patient and the patient’s family member or personal representative.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In accordance with a general hospice care program’s policy and subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, a general hospice care program employee shall, as soon as practicable, collect and dispose of a patient’s unused prescription medication on:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The death of the patient; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The termination of a prescription medication by the patient’s prescriber.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Before a general hospice care program employee collects or disposes of a patient’s unused prescription medication under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the employee shall provide to the patient or the patient’s family member or personal representative a written request for authorization to collect and dispose of the patient’s unused prescription medication in accordance with the patient’s care plan.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A general hospice care program employee may not collect or dispose of a patient’s unused prescription medication unless the patient or the patient’s family member or representative provides written authorization to the general hospice care program.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>If a patient or the patient’s family member or personal representative refuses to authorize the collection or disposal of the patient’s unused prescription medication, the general hospice care program employee shall urge that the patient or the patient’s family member or personal representative dispose of any unused prescription medication in a safe and legal manner in accordance with federal Environmental Protection Agency and federal Drug Enforcement Administration guidelines for the safe disposal of prescription drugs.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>If authorized, a general hospice care program employee shall, as soon as practicable, dispose of a patient’s unused prescription medication at the site where hospice care was provided:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>In accordance with federal Environmental Protection Agency and federal Drug Enforcement Administration guidelines for the safe disposal of prescription drugs; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Under the witness of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The patient or the patient’s family member or personal representative;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Another general hospice care program employee; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>If none of the individuals under items (i) or (ii) of this item are available, a local law enforcement officer.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The collection and disposal of a patient’s unused prescription medication by the general hospice care program shall be documented in the patient’s medical record by the general hospice care program employee who conducted the collection and disposal.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The medical record shall include the following information:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The name and quantity of each unused prescription medication;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The name of the individual who authorized the collection and disposal of the unused prescription medication and the individual’s relationship to the patient;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The date of disposal for each unused prescription medication;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>The name of the individual who conducted the collection and disposal; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>The name of the individual who witnessed the disposal of unused prescription medication by the employee as required under subsection (d)(2) of this section.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If a patient or the patient’s family member or personal representative refuses to authorize the collection and disposal of the patient’s unused prescription medication by the general hospice care program, the general hospice care program employee shall document in the patient’s medical record:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The refusal to authorize the collection and disposal of the patient’s unused prescription medication; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The name and quantity of each unused prescription medication not surrendered.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>A general hospice care program may not be held liable in a civil or criminal action for any good faith act or omission taken in accordance with the requirements of this section.</text>
  </level>
</section>
