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(5) “direct service” means service provided directly to a client receiving services in a hospice program;

(6) “employee” means a paid staff person designated by the hospice agency to provide services to a client or the client’s family under the direction of the plan of care for the client; “employee” includes an individual providing services to the client or the client’s family under contract with the hospice agency;

(7) “family” means

(A) individuals related to a client by blood, marriage, or court decree; and

(B) one or more individuals who have a significant personal relationship with a client and who have been designated, by mutual agreement between each individual and the client, as members of the client’s family;

(8) “full-service hospice agency” means a hospice agency that provides, and charges a fee for, the services described in 7 AAC 12.316;

(9) “hospice home health aide” means an individual employed by or under contract with a hospice agency to provide hospice services as specified in 7 AAC 12.333;

(10) “hospice philosophy” has the meaning given the term in the definition of “hospice services” in AS 47.32.900;

(11) “hospice services” has the meaning given in AS 47.32.900;

(12) “medical director” means a physician or advanced practice registered nurse who oversees the medical components of hospice services and the interdisciplinary team;

(13) “palliative care” means care provided for the reduction or abatement of pain, for physical symptoms, and for psychosocial or spiritual needs of an individual with a terminal illness; “palliative care” includes physician or advanced practice registered nurse services, skilled nursing care, social work services, volunteer services, and bereavement services; “palliative care” does not include treatment provided solely to cure a medical condition or disease or to artificially prolong life; however, treatment that is curative in nature may be provided if the purpose of the treatment is to reduce or abate pain or other symptoms, or to slow the progression or reduce the psychological effects of the terminal illness;

(14) “plan of care” means

(A) for a hospice agency other than a volunteer hospice agency, a written service delivery plan developed and maintained under 7 AAC 12.319 by the interdisciplinary team, in conjunction with the client, to reflect the client’s changing care needs; and

(B) for a volunteer hospice agency, the plan described in 7 AAC 12.317(d);

(15) “program director” means the individual designated by the governing body of a hospice agency to be responsible for the daily operations of the agency;