Section 418.60 - Condition of participation: Infection controlThe hospice must maintain and document an effective infection control program that protects patients, families, visitors, and hospice personnel by preventing and controlling infections and communicable diseases.
(a)Standard: Prevention. The hospice must follow accepted standards of practice to prevent the transmission of infections and communicable diseases, including the use of standard precautions.(b)Standard: Control. The hospice must maintain a coordinated agency-wide program for the surveillance, identification, prevention, control, and investigation of infectious and communicable diseases that- (1) Is an integral part of the hospice's quality assessment and performance improvement program; and(2) Includes the following: (i) A method of identifying infectious and communicable disease problems; and(ii) A plan for implementing the appropriate actions that are expected to result in improvement and disease prevention.(c)Standard: Education. The hospice must provide infection control education to employees, contracted providers, patients, and family members and other caregivers. 73 FR 32204 , June 5, 2008, as amended at 86 FR 61616 , Nov. 5, 2021; 88 FR 36510 , June 5, 2023