In this chapter, unless the context or subject matter otherwise requires:

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1.    “Bereavement” means the period of time during which the hospice patient’s family experiences and adjusts to the death of the hospice patient.

2.    “Department” means the department of health and human services.

3.    “Hospice care team” means an interdisciplinary working unit including the hospice patient and the hospice patient’s family, the attending physician, the medical director of the hospice program, a registered professional nurse as defined under chapter 43-12.1, a social worker licensed pursuant to chapter 43-41 providing medical social services, and trained hospice volunteers. Providers of special services, including a spiritual counselor, a pharmacist, a registered dietitian, or professionals in the field of mental health may be included on the interdisciplinary team as determined to be appropriate by the hospice program.

4.    “Hospice patient” means a person diagnosed as terminally ill with a prognosis of an anticipated life expectancy of six months or less, who has received admission into the hospice program. The diagnosis and prognosis must be certified by the attending physician.

5.    “Hospice patient’s family” means the immediate kin of the patient, including a spouse, parent, stepparent, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, child, or stepchild. Additional relatives or individuals with significant personal ties to the hospice patient may be included in the hospice patient’s family for the purposes of this chapter.

6.    “Hospice program” means a coordinated program of home and inpatient care providing hospice services directly, or through agreement, using a hospice care team.

7.    “Hospice service plan” means the plan detailing the specific hospice services offered by a hospice program and the administrative and direct care personnel responsible for those services.

8.    “Hospice services” means palliative and supportive medical, health, and other care provided to hospice patients and their families to meet the special needs arising out of the physical, emotional, spiritual, and social stresses experienced during the final stages of illness and during dying and bereavement so that when and where possible the hospice patient may remain at home, with homelike inpatient care utilized only if and while it is necessary.

9.    “Palliative care” means treatment which is intended to achieve relief from, reduction of, or elimination of pain and other troubling symptoms, rather than treatment aimed at investigation and intervention for the purposes of cure or prolongation of life.

10.    “Volunteer services” means the services provided by individuals who have successfully completed a training program developed by a licensed hospice program.