§2175.12. Purpose; definitions

A. This Part is intended to foster innovative solutions to limited access to needed health care, limited health care choices, and high aggregate health care costs, through the study of alternative health care delivery systems and alternative licensing. Furthermore, these demonstration projects shall be developed in an orderly manner and regulated by the Louisiana Department of Health.

B. For purposes of this Part, the following terms have the following meanings:

(1) "Alternate health care model" means a facility or program authorized under this Part.

(2) "Autonomous" means a separate and distinct operational entity which functions under its own administration and bylaws, either within or independently of a parent organization.

(3) "Children's respite care center" means an autonomous, centrally administered, pediatric medical respite program providing a continuum of home, outpatient, and homelike inpatient care for Louisiana children living with life-limiting illnesses and their families. It employs an interdisciplinary team to assist in providing palliative care and supportive care, combined with curative treatment, to meet the special needs arising out of the physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and economic stresses which are experienced during life-limiting illnesses as well as during dying and bereavement if a cure is not attained.

(4) "Core services" means medical respite program services, nursing services, physician services, social work services, counseling services, and support services, including trained volunteers, and bereavement and pastoral care.

(5) "Demonstration program" means a program to license and study alternate health care models authorized under this Part.

(6) "Department" means the Louisiana Department of Health.

(7) "Interdisciplinary team" means representatives from all the core services as evidenced by documentation, planning, and team meetings.

(8) "Life-limiting illness" means a medical prognosis of limited expected survival because of ailment, illness, disease, or misfortune, including but not limited to injury, accident, cancer, heart disease, and congenital and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

(9) "Medical respite program" means the temporary care and supervision of a child living with a life-limiting illness so that the primary caregiver can be relieved of such duties. Such services may be performed in the home of the child or in a facility owned or leased by the children's respite care center.

(10) "Palliative care" means the reduction or abatement of pain or other troubling symptoms by appropriate coordination of the interdisciplinary team required to achieve needed relief of distress.

(11) "Pediatric" means from birth through age twenty.

Acts 2003, No. 571, §1.