[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 42, Volume 2]
[Revised as of October 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 42CFR418.70]

[Page 780-781]
 
                         TITLE 42--PUBLIC HEALTH
 
                             HUMAN SERVICES
 
PART 418--HOSPICE CARE--Table of Contents
 
     Subpart C--Conditions of Participation--General Provisions and 
                             Administration
 
Sec. 418.70  Condition of participation--Volunteers.

    The hospice in accordance with the numerical standards, specified in 
paragraph (e) of this section, uses volunteers, in defined roles, under 
the supervision of a designated hospice employee.
    (a) Standard: Training. The hospice must provide appropriate 
orientation

[[Page 781]]

and training that is consistent with acceptable standards of hospice 
practice.
    (b) Standard: Role. Volunteers must be used in administrative or 
direct patient care roles.
    (c) Standard: Recruiting and retaining. The hospice must document 
active 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--
    (1) The identification of necessary positions which are occupied by 
volunteers;
    (2) The work time spent by volunteers occupying those positions; and
    (3) Estimates of the dollar costs which the hospice would have 
incurred if paid employees occupied the positions identified in 
paragraph (d)(1) for the amount of time specified in paragraph (d)(2).
    (e) Standard: Level of activity. A hospice must document and 
maintain a volunteer staff sufficient to provide administrative or 
direct patient care 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 document a continuing level of volunteer 
activity. Expansion of care and services achieved through the use of 
volunteers, including the type of services and the time worked, must be 
recorded.
    (f) Standard: Availability of clergy. The hospice must make 
reasonable efforts to arrange for visits of clergy and other members of 
religious organizations in the community to patients who request such 
visits and must advise patients of this opportunity.