10 Questions Every Hospice Employee Should Be Able to Answer

The following is a sampling of questions that auditors have often posed to hospice staff members at all levels when conducting onsite interviews:

(This list is also available in a PDF/print friendly version for your convenience.)

1. Have you received training about Medicare regulations?

2. Do you have access to the hospice’s policies and procedures, and know where they are kept?

3. What are the criteria for admitting a patient?

4. Who determines if a patient is appropriate or eligible for hospice?

5. Do you know the process for recertification?

6. What is your discharge process, and who determines if and when a patient will be discharged?

7. Do you know why a patient is admitted to GIP or continuous care?

8. Who determines if a patient starts or ends GIP or continuous care?

9. Who determines the primary terminal diagnosis?

10. Can anyone - you, upper management, or IT - make changes to your documentation or someone else’s documentation?

If you have any questions about how you can prepare for on-site auditor, please view our other helpful resources contained in the Hospice Law Library or contact a member of the Hospice and Palliative Care team