SECTION 354.1037. Written Plan of Care

(a) A plan of care must be recommended, signed and dated by the recipient's physician or allowed practitioner.

(b) The plan of care must contain the following information:

(1) all pertinent diagnoses;

(2) mental status;

(3) types of services, including amount, duration and frequency;

(4) equipment required;

(5) prognosis;

(6) rehabilitation potential;

(7) functional limitations;

(8) activities permitted;

(9) nutritional requirements;

(10) medications;

(11) treatments, including amount and frequency;

(12) safety measures to protect against injury;

(13) instructions for timely discharge or referral; and

(14) date the recipient was last seen by the physician or allowed practitioner.

(c) Orders for therapy services must include:

(1) the specific procedures and modalities to be used;

(2) the amount, frequency, and duration; and

(3) the therapist who participated in developing the plan of care.

(d) The plan of care must be reviewed by the physician or allowed practitioner and the home health agency personnel as often as the severity of the recipient's condition requires or at least once every 60 days.

(e) Verbal orders may only be given to persons authorized to receive them under state and federal law. They must be reduced to writing, signed and dated by the registered nurse or qualified therapist responsible for furnishing or supervising the ordered service, and placed in the recipient's chart.

(f) The plan of care must be initiated by a registered nurse.

Source Note: The provisions of this §354.1037 adopted to be effective June 26, 1997, 22 TexReg 5826; transferred effective September 1, 2001, as published in the Texas Register May 24, 2002, 27 TexReg 4561; amended to be effective September 21, 2022, 47 TexReg 5779