(a) In addition to the requirements in §558.285 of this chapter (relating to Infection Control), a hospice must maintain an effective infection control program that protects clients, families, visitors, and hospice personnel by preventing and controlling infections and communicable diseases.(b) A hospice must follow accepted standards of practice to prevent the transmission of infections and communicable diseases, including the use of standard precautions.(c) A hospice must maintain a coordinated agency-wide program for the surveillance, identification, prevention, control, and investigation of infectious and communicable diseases that is an integral part of the hospice's quality assessment and performance improvement program. The infection control program must include:(1) a method of identifying infectious and communicable disease problems; and(2) a plan for implementing the appropriate actions that are expected to result in improvement and disease prevention.(d) A hospice must provide infection control education to employees, volunteers, contract staff, clients, and family members and other caregivers.