The Hospice Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) is what separates hospice care and services from other forms of homecare. The IDT is composed of physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains and volunteers who meet on a regular basis with the patient and family, as well as with each other to update and carry out the hospice plan of care.
Medicare's Conditions of Participation (CoPs) (http://www.cms.hhs.gov/cop/1.asp), along with each state's minimum standards (see below) delineate the qualifications for each member of the IDT. Each licensed and certified hospice agency must meet the requirements of both Medicare's CoPs, as well as their respective state's minimum standards in order to operate in either Louisiana and/or Mississippi.
Additionally, LMHPCO members pledge themselves to fostering and promoting quality hospice and end-of-life care, as defined by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization's Standards of Practice for Hospice Programs and Vital Bonds: Ethical Principles and Guidelines for Organizational Conduct.
Louisiana Licensing Standards for Hospice:
Louisiana Register (398k PDF)
Mississippi Licensing Standards for Hospice:
Mississippi Department of Health Hospice Regulations (277k PDF)
