{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/32.1-162.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/32.1-162.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/32.1-162.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/32.1-162.1.html"}],"law_id":77748,"edition_id":1,"section_id":77748,"structure_id":13733,"section_number":"32.1-162.1","catch_line":"Definitions","history":"1981, c. 346; 2007, c. 397; 2022, c. 151.","full_text":"As used in this article unless a different meaning or construction is clearly required by the context or otherwise:\n\t\t“Hospice” means a coordinated program of home and inpatient care provided directly or through an agreement under the direction of an identifiable hospice administration providing palliative and supportive medical and other health services to terminally ill patients and their families. A hospice utilizes a medically directed interdisciplinary team. A hospice program of care provides care to meet the physical, psychological, social, spiritual and other special needs which are experienced during the final stages of illness, and during dying and bereavement. Hospice care shall be available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.\n\t\t“Hospice facility” means an institution, place, or building owned or operated by a hospice provider and licensed by the Department to provide room, board, and appropriate hospice care on a 24-hour basis, including respite and symptom management, to individuals requiring such care pursuant to the orders of a physician. Such facilities with 16 or fewer beds are exempt from Certificate of Public Need laws and regulations. Such facilities with more than 16 beds shall be licensed as a nursing facility or hospital and shall be subject to Certificate of Public Need laws and regulations.\n\t\t“Hospice patient” means a diagnosed terminally ill patient, with an anticipated life expectancy of six months or less, who, alone or in conjunction with designated family members, has voluntarily requested admission and been accepted into a licensed hospice program.\n\t\t“Hospice patient’s family” shall mean the hospice patient’s immediate kin, including a spouse, brother, sister, child or parent. Other relations and individuals with significant personal ties to the hospice patient may be designated as members of the hospice patient’s family by mutual agreement among the hospice patient, the relation or individual, and the hospice team.\n\t\t“Identifiable hospice administration” means an administrative group, individual or legal entity that has a distinct organizational structure, accountable to the governing authority directly or through a chief executive officer. This administration shall be responsible for the management of all aspects of the program.\n\t\t“Inpatient” means the provision of services, such as food, laundry, housekeeping, and staff to provide health or health-related services, including respite and symptom management, to hospice patients, whether in a hospital, nursing facility, or hospice facility.\n\t\t“Interdisciplinary team” means the patient and the patient’s family, the attending physician, and the following hospice personnel: physician, nurse, social worker, and trained volunteer. Physician assistants and providers of special services, such as clergy, mental health, pharmacy, and any other appropriate allied health services, may also be included on the team as the needs of the patient dictate.\n\t\t“Palliative care” means treatment directed at controlling pain, relieving other symptoms, and focusing on the special needs of the patient and family as they experience the stress of the dying process, rather than the treatment aimed at investigation and intervention for the purpose of cure or prolongation of life.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":278857,"text":"As used in this article unless a different meaning or construction is clearly required by the context or otherwise:\n\t\t“Hospice” means a coordinated program of home and inpatient care provided directly or through an agreement under the direction of an identifiable hospice administration providing palliative and supportive medical and other health services to terminally ill patients and their families. A hospice utilizes a medically directed interdisciplinary team. A hospice program of care provides care to meet the physical, psychological, social, spiritual and other special needs which are experienced during the final stages of illness, and during dying and bereavement. Hospice care shall be available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.\n\t\t“Hospice facility” means an institution, place, or building owned or operated by a hospice provider and licensed by the Department to provide room, board, and appropriate hospice care on a 24-hour basis, including respite and symptom management, to individuals requiring such care pursuant to the orders of a physician. Such facilities with 16 or fewer beds are exempt from Certificate of Public Need laws and regulations. Such facilities with more than 16 beds shall be licensed as a nursing facility or hospital and shall be subject to Certificate of Public Need laws and regulations.\n\t\t“Hospice patient” means a diagnosed terminally ill patient, with an anticipated life expectancy of six months or less, who, alone or in conjunction with designated family members, has voluntarily requested admission and been accepted into a licensed hospice program.\n\t\t“Hospice patient’s family” shall mean the hospice patient’s immediate kin, including a spouse, brother, sister, child or parent. Other relations and individuals with significant personal ties to the hospice patient may be designated as members of the hospice patient’s family by mutual agreement among the hospice patient, the relation or individual, and the hospice team.\n\t\t“Identifiable hospice administration” means an administrative group, individual or legal entity that has a distinct organizational structure, accountable to the governing authority directly or through a chief executive officer. This administration shall be responsible for the management of all aspects of the program.\n\t\t“Inpatient” means the provision of services, such as food, laundry, housekeeping, and staff to provide health or health-related services, including respite and symptom management, to hospice patients, whether in a hospital, nursing facility, or hospice facility.\n\t\t“Interdisciplinary team” means the patient and the patient’s family, the attending physician, and the following hospice personnel: physician, nurse, social worker, and trained volunteer. Physician assistants and providers of special services, such as clergy, mental health, pharmacy, and any other appropriate allied health services, may also be included on the team as the needs of the patient dictate.\n\t\t“Palliative care” means treatment directed at controlling pain, relieving other symptoms, and focusing on the special needs of the patient and family as they experience the stress of the dying process, rather than the treatment aimed at investigation and intervention for the purpose of cure or prolongation of life.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13733,"edition_id":1,"name":"Hospice Program Licensing","identifier":"7","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12728,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:44","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:44","permalink":{"id":203263,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13733,"identifier":"7","token":"32.1\/5\/7","url":"\/32.1\/5\/7\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12728,"edition_id":1,"name":"Regulation of Medical Care Facilities and Services","identifier":"5","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12727,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","permalink":{"id":202855,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12728,"identifier":"5","token":"32.1\/5","url":"\/32.1\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12727,"edition_id":1,"name":"Health","identifier":"32.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","permalink":{"id":201099,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12727,"identifier":"32.1","token":"32.1","url":"\/32.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":77748,"structure_id":13733,"section_number":"32.1-162.1","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/32.1-162.1\/","token":"32.1\/5\/7\/32.1-162.1","metadata":false},{"id":54733,"structure_id":13733,"section_number":"32.1-162.2","catch_line":"Exemptions from article","url":"\/32.1-162.2\/","token":"32.1\/5\/7\/32.1-162.2","metadata":false},{"id":62741,"structure_id":13733,"section_number":"32.1-162.3","catch_line":"License required for hospice programs; notice of denial of license; renewal thereof","url":"\/32.1-162.3\/","token":"32.1\/5\/7\/32.1-162.3","metadata":false},{"id":54738,"structure_id":13733,"section_number":"32.1-162.4","catch_line":"Inspections","url":"\/32.1-162.4\/","token":"32.1\/5\/7\/32.1-162.4","metadata":false},{"id":72174,"structure_id":13733,"section_number":"32.1-162.5","catch_line":"Regulations","url":"\/32.1-162.5\/","token":"32.1\/5\/7\/32.1-162.5","metadata":false},{"id":58481,"structure_id":13733,"section_number":"32.1-162.5:1","catch_line":"Notice to dispenser of patient's death; disposition of dispensed drugs","url":"\/32.1-162.5_1\/","token":"32.1\/5\/7\/32.1-162.5_1","metadata":false},{"id":60487,"structure_id":13733,"section_number":"32.1-162.6","catch_line":"Revocation or suspension of license","url":"\/32.1-162.6\/","token":"32.1\/5\/7\/32.1-162.6","metadata":false},{"id":57388,"structure_id":13733,"section_number":"32.1-162.6:1","catch_line":"Possession or administration of cannabis oil","url":"\/32.1-162.6_1\/","token":"32.1\/5\/7\/32.1-162.6_1","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":54733,"structure_id":13733,"section_number":"32.1-162.2","catch_line":"Exemptions from article","url":"\/32.1-162.2\/","token":"32.1\/5\/7\/32.1-162.2","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/32.1-162.1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1981. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 346 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1981 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2007, chapter 397<\/a>; in 2022, chapter 151<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":81633,"section_number":"32.1-137.08","catch_line":"Medical care facilities; persons with disabilities; designated support persons","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-137.08\/"},{"id":79530,"section_number":"32.1-162.8","catch_line":"Exemptions from article","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-162.8\/"},{"id":77442,"section_number":"32.1-162.9:1","catch_line":"Employment for compensation of persons convicted of barrier crimes prohibited; criminal records check required; drug testing; suspension or revocation of license","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-162.9_1\/"},{"id":60379,"section_number":"37.2-1101","catch_line":"Judicial authorization of treatment","order_by":null,"url":"\/37.2-1101\/"},{"id":87414,"section_number":"38.2-3418.11","catch_line":"Coverage for hospice care","order_by":null,"url":"\/38.2-3418.11\/"},{"id":58881,"section_number":"51.5-182","catch_line":"Responsibility for complaints and investigations","order_by":null,"url":"\/51.5-182\/"},{"id":86242,"section_number":"51.5-183","catch_line":"Access to clients, patients, individuals, providers, and records by Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman; interference, retaliation, and reprisals against complainants","order_by":null,"url":"\/51.5-183\/"},{"id":59523,"section_number":"54.1-2972","catch_line":"When person deemed medically and legally dead; determination of death; nurses', licensed practical nurses', physician assistants', or advanced practice registered nurses' authority to pronounce death under certain circumstances","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-2972\/"},{"id":85956,"section_number":"63.2-1806","catch_line":"Hospice care","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-1806\/"},{"id":68181,"section_number":"63.2-1808.1","catch_line":"Life-sharing communities","order_by":null,"url":"\/63.2-1808.1\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":203265,"object_type":"law","relational_id":77748,"identifier":"32.1-162.1","token":"32.1\/5\/7\/32.1-162.1","url":"\/32.1-162.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/32.1-162.1\/","token":"32.1\/5\/7\/32.1-162.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Definitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 32.1-162.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

As used in this article unless a different meaning or construction is clearly required by the context or otherwise:\n\t\t“Hospice” means a coordinated program of home and inpatient<\/span> care provided directly or through an agreement under the direction of an identifiable hospice administration<\/span> providing palliative and supportive medical and other health services to terminally ill patients and their families. A hospice utilizes a medically directed interdisciplinary team<\/span>. A hospice program of care provides care to meet the physical, psychological, social, spiritual and other special needs which are experienced during the final stages of illness, and during dying and bereavement. Hospice care shall be available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.\n\t\t“Hospice facility<\/span>” means an institution, place, or building owned or operated by a hospice provider and licensed by the Department<\/span> to provide room, board<\/span>, and appropriate hospice care on a 24-hour basis, including respite and symptom management, to individuals requiring such care pursuant to the orders<\/span> of a physician. Such facilities with 16 or fewer beds are exempt from Certificate of Public Need laws<\/span> and regulations. Such facilities with more than 16 beds shall be licensed as a nursing facility or hospital and shall be subject to Certificate of Public Need laws<\/span> and regulations.\n\t\t“Hospice patient<\/span>” means a diagnosed terminally ill patient, with an anticipated life expectancy of six months or less, who, alone or in conjunction with designated family members, has voluntarily requested admission and been accepted into a licensed hospice program.\n\t\t“Hospice patient<\/span>’s family” shall mean the hospice patient<\/span>’s immediate kin, including a spouse, brother, sister, child or parent. Other relations and individuals with significant personal ties to the hospice patient<\/span> may be designated as members of the hospice patient<\/span>’s family by mutual agreement among the hospice patient<\/span>, the relation or individual, and the hospice team.\n\t\t“Identifiable hospice administration<\/span>” means an administrative group, individual or legal entity that has a distinct organizational structure, accountable to the governing authority directly or through a chief executive officer. This administration shall be responsible for the management of all aspects of the program.\n\t\t“Inpatient<\/span>” means the provision of services, such as food, laundry, housekeeping, and staff to provide health or health-related services, including respite and symptom management, to hospice patients<\/span>, whether in a hospital, nursing facility, or hospice facility<\/span>.\n\t\t“Interdisciplinary team<\/span>” means the patient and the patient’s family, the attending physician, and the following hospice personnel: physician, nurse, social worker, and trained volunteer. Physician assistants and providers of special services, such as clergy, mental health, pharmacy, and any other appropriate allied health services, may also be included on the team as the needs of the patient dictate.\n\t\t“Palliative care<\/span>” means treatment directed at controlling pain, relieving other symptoms, and focusing on the special needs of the patient and family as they experience the stress of the dying process, rather than the treatment aimed at investigation and intervention for the purpose of cure or prolongation of life.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDEFINITIONS (\u00a7 32.1-162.1)\n\nAs used in this article unless a different meaning or construction is clearly\nrequired by the context or otherwise:\n\t\t“Hospice” means a coordinated program of home and inpatient care\nprovided directly or through an agreement under the direction of an identifiable\nhospice administration providing palliative and supportive medical and other\nhealth services to terminally ill patients and their families. A hospice\nutilizes a medically directed interdisciplinary team. A hospice program of care\nprovides care to meet the physical, psychological, social, spiritual and other\nspecial needs which are experienced during the final stages of illness, and\nduring dying and bereavement. Hospice care shall be available twenty-four hours\na day, seven days a week.\n\t\t“Hospice facility” means an institution, place, or building owned\nor operated by a hospice provider and licensed by the Department to provide\nroom, board, and appropriate hospice care on a 24-hour basis, including respite\nand symptom management, to individuals requiring such care pursuant to the\norders of a physician. Such facilities with 16 or fewer beds are exempt from\nCertificate of Public Need laws and regulations. Such facilities with more than\n16 beds shall be licensed as a nursing facility or hospital and shall be subject\nto Certificate of Public Need laws and regulations.\n\t\t“Hospice patient” means a diagnosed terminally ill patient, with\nan anticipated life expectancy of six months or less, who, alone or in\nconjunction with designated family members, has voluntarily requested admission\nand been accepted into a licensed hospice program.\n\t\t“Hospice patient’s family” shall mean the hospice\npatient’s immediate kin, including a spouse, brother, sister, child or\nparent. Other relations and individuals with significant personal ties to the\nhospice patient may be designated as members of the hospice patient’s\nfamily by mutual agreement among the hospice patient, the relation or\nindividual, and the hospice team.\n\t\t“Identifiable hospice administration” means an administrative\ngroup, individual or legal entity that has a distinct organizational structure,\naccountable to the governing authority directly or through a chief executive\nofficer. This administration shall be responsible for the management of all\naspects of the program.\n\t\t“Inpatient” means the provision of services, such as food,\nlaundry, housekeeping, and staff to provide health or health-related services,\nincluding respite and symptom management, to hospice patients, whether in a\nhospital, nursing facility, or hospice facility.\n\t\t“Interdisciplinary team” means the patient and the patient’s\nfamily, the attending physician, and the following hospice personnel: physician,\nnurse, social worker, and trained volunteer. Physician assistants and providers\nof special services, such as clergy, mental health, pharmacy, and any other\nappropriate allied health services, may also be included on the team as the\nneeds of the patient dictate.\n\t\t“Palliative care” means treatment directed at controlling pain,\nrelieving other symptoms, and focusing on the special needs of the patient and\nfamily as they experience the stress of the dying process, rather than the\ntreatment aimed at investigation and intervention for the purpose of cure or\nprolongation of life.\n\nHISTORY: 1981, c. 346; 2007, c. 397; 2022, c. 151.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}