SECTION 340:100-5-26.2. End-of-life issues

(a)   Purpose. The rules in this Section are established to support the decisions of persons receiving services from the Developmental Disabilities Services Division (DDSD) regarding end-of-life issues. DDSD affirms life and regards dying as a normal process that should neither be hastened nor prolonged. DDSD encourages individuals to fully exercise their rights and make decisions about end-of-life issues that allow them to live with dignity and comfort.

(b)   Applicability. Rules in this Section apply to DDSD staff and to service providers who are contracted, licensed, or funded through a DDSD Home and Community-Based Waiver or DDSD state funds and serve a person(s) who has been certified by a physician to be terminally ill. A person is considered terminally ill if he or she has a medical prognosis of life expectancy of six months or less if the illness runs its natural course.

(c)   End-of-life services. When a person is diagnosed by a physician with terminal illness or is referred for hospice services, the case manager holds a personal support team meeting within five working days to review all care options with the person, guardian, or next of kin including consideration of hospice services.

(d)   Case manager responsibilities. If the person, guardian, or next of kin elects hospice care, the case manager:

(1)   identifies resources, including available funding, prior to selection of a hospice provider;

(2)   notifies the DDSD state office Medical Services Unit that hospice services have been elected;

(3)   arranges to meet with the service recipient, guardian or next of kin, DDSD nurse, health care coordinator, residential agency representative(s), other personal support team members as needed, and the hospice team to develop a treatment plan;

(4)   integrates the hospice treatment plan into the Individual Plan (IP) and amends the plan of care to terminate services no longer needed and add any needed services;

(5)   assists to coordinate the implementation of the treatment plan between the hospice team and the personal support team; and

(6)   ensures that DDSD does not duplicate services provided by hospice but supplements hospice services to the extent needed in each situation.

(e)   DDSD nurse responsibilities. If the service recipient, guardian, or next of kin elects hospice care, the DDSD nurse is responsible to:

(1)   assist, in conjunction with the case manager, the service recipient, guardian, or next of kin with the selection of a hospice agency;

(2)   develop a nursing support plan to identify hospice needs; and

(3)   coordinate medication issues between the hospice provider and the residential provider to ensure compliance with OAC 340:100-5-32 regarding administration, documentation, and disposal of medications.

[Source: Added at 20 Ok Reg 1078, eff 4-10-03 (emergency); Added at 21 Ok Reg 888, eff 4-26-04]