US · guidance
CMS SOM App. M, Tag L644
§418.78(b) Standard: Role
Volunteers must be used in day-to-day administrative and/or direct patient care
roles.
Interpretive Guidelines §418.78(b)
Qualified volunteers who provide professional services for the hospice must meet all
requirements associated with their specialty area. If licensure or registration is required
by the State, the volunteer must be licensed or registered.
The hospice may use volunteers to provide assistance in the hospice’s ancillary and office
activities as well as in direct patient care services, and/or help patients and families with
household chores, shopping, transportation, and companionship. Hospices are also
permitted to use volunteers in non-administrative and non-direct patient care activities,
although these services are not considered when calculating the level of activity described
in standard (e).
The duties of volunteers used in direct patient care services or helping patients and
families must be evident in the patient’s plan of care. There should be documentation of
time spent and the services provided by volunteers.
History
Rev. 210; Issued:02-03-23; Effective:02-03-23; Implementation:02-03-23
Provenance
- Source
- cms.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-07-22
- Edition
- som-2026-07-22
- Content hash
804973acd6f324ae013ff17dbe4a244d928b5f1142e0e11c6196e689c100c74f
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