*This article was written in consultation with Mariam Treystman.
If you're a Medicare-certified home health or hospice agency owner, you've definitely heard the term “PAC meeting.” But in 2025, do you really need to have one? PAC meetings are not part of the federal Conditions of Participation anymore, so why do some agencies still do them, and others don’t?
Let’s clear that up.
At The Home Health Consultant, we help agencies stay compliant, grow strategically, and avoid costly mistakes. We’ve worked with agencies of all sizes and seen firsthand how a well-run PAC meeting can bring clarity, consistency, and measurable improvement to your operations.
If you’ve ever wondered what a PAC meeting actually accomplishes—or whether it’s worth the time and money—this article is for you.
What Is a Professional Advisory Committee (PAC) Meeting?
PAC stands for Professional Advisory Committee. At its core, a PAC meeting is a structured, interdisciplinary annual review of your entire agency’s operations. It brings together:
- Your agency’s core management team (DPCS, Administrator, etc...)
- A physician (typically your CLIA or medical director, but doesn’t have to be),
- One representative from every clinical discipline (e.g., RN, PT, OT, MSW),
- A community representative (someone unaffiliated with the agency—yes, a “rando,” as we put it).
The group typically meets once per year and reviews everything about how your agency functions. This includes your:
- Policies and procedures
- Preventive programs (infection control, fall prevention, med error reduction)
- HR processes (onboarding, job descriptions)
- Administrative workflows (patient admissions, record storage, documentation standards)
- Annual agency evaluation
- Clinical practices
The meeting usually lasts half a day to a full day. However, depending on the size of your agency, it could stretch across several days or require pre-meeting work from committee members.
There are also loose requirements for how to structure these meetings. For example you can:
- Review materials individually first, then come together to discuss findings
- Or review policies together as a group, by section or department
Either way, the point is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary review of your entire agency: clinically, administratively, and operationally.
Are PAC Meetings Still Required for Medicare-Certified Agencies?
PAC meetings are not required federally for home health & hospice agencies. However, they are required for agencies in California.
Professional Advisory Committee meetings were previously required nationwide as a Condition of Participation (CoP) under Medicare. That requirement was dropped in 2018. However:
- California continues to require PAC meetings as part of its state licensing and survey process
- No other state currently mandates PAC meetings, according to the latest regulatory guidance
So, unless you're in California, you're not required to hold a PAC meeting. But, that doesn't necessarily mean you shouldn't.
Why Home Health and Hospice Agencies Can Still Benefit from PAC Meetings
After the federal requirement was removed, many agencies stopped doing PAC meetings. It’s understandable—these meetings can be time-consuming and expensive:
- You have to pay a physician for their time, which isn't cheap
- Clinicians are busy in the field and don’t want to sit in meetings
- It’s difficult to get everyone together at once
- It’s called a “meeting” but often takes at least one full day, if not multiple
But if you’re trying to scale, maintain quality, or improve your outcomes, a PAC meeting gives you something few other processes do: cross-disciplinary alignment and big-picture clarity.
Think of it as your agency’s “systems check.” Are your policies outdated? Are your preventive programs working? Are your HR practices consistent with clinical needs?
PAC meetings give you a structured opportunity to evaluate what’s working and fix what isn’t.
What Should Be Reviewed in a PAC Meeting?
If you’re looking to practice PAC meetings at your agency, there are a few key components to keep in mind. The committee should review all major areas of your operations. Below are common examples of topics typically reviewed during a PAC meeting. Keep in mind, these lists do not cover all discussion topics.
Clinical Policies and Procedures
- Diabetic care protocols
- Cardiovascular program documentation
- Therapy procedures
- Client care policies across disciplines
Administrative Workflows
- Patient intake process
- Clinical documentation standards
- Medical record storage and privacy procedures
HR and Staffing Documents
- Job descriptions
- Onboarding procedures
- Personnel file requirements
Preventive Programs
- Infection prevention and control
- Fall prevention initiatives
- Medication error reduction strategies
Annual Agency Evaluation
- Review of past-year performance
- Gaps, inefficiencies, and improvement opportunities
- Suggested policy changes or program updates
After the meeting, the committee presents its findings and recommendations to the agency’s governing board.
Are PAC Meetings More Important for Larger Agencies?
Yes, PAC meetings can be more important for larger agencies, especially if you're growing.
If you’re a small agency, you might already be doing PAC-like reviews informally. It’s easier to communicate when everyone wears multiple hats and works side by side. You catch things as they come up and adjust quickly.
But as your agency scales, those organic conversations disappear. The line between decision-makers and frontline staff gets longer. Miscommunication creeps in. Data replaces hands-on management. Policy changes don’t get implemented. Issues multiply.
That’s where PAC meetings become incredibly helpful. They create the communication bridge between leadership, clinical disciplines, and administration.
Should Your Agency Bring Back the PAC Meeting?
First and foremost, for our Californian readers, you don’t get a choice. PAC meetings are required for all home health and hospice agencies in the golden state. So yes, you should be holding them, and if you’re not, you’re out of compliance.
If you're outside California and no longer required to hold PAC meetings, the meeting remains one of the most effective tools for ensuring agency-wide alignment and high-quality outcomes.
If your goal is to improve outcomes, prepare for surveys, scale your operations, or succeed in Value Based Purchasing—PAC meetings should be on your calendar.
If you feel overwhelmed by the idea of a multi day meeting, you can schedule these at intervals that are further apart. For example, every 5 years or as major changes arise.
Why PAC Meetings Are Not Required But Can Still Help Your Agency
Whether you're legally required to hold a PAC meeting or not, you should now understand what they’re designed to accomplish:
- interdisciplinary alignment,
- operational clarity,
- and a structured path to improvement.
Skipping them might save you time in the short term. But in a growing agency, the long-term risks often outweigh the convenience.
If you're feeling the pressure of survey prep or struggling to maintain consistency across your team, you’re not alone. These are signs of a deeper issue. You may not just be missing a meeting, but missing a system.
If you’re looking for more structure to guide your agency’s growth, explore our article on The Limitations of One-Time Compliance Consulting in Home Health & Hospice. It outlines why quick fixes fall short and how long-term frameworks can give your agency lasting results.
At The Home Health Consultant, we specialize in building systems, not just solving problems. Whether you're restarting PAC meetings or rethinking how your agency runs, we can help you build a process that’s consistent, compliant, and actually sustainable.
*Disclaimer: The content provided in this article is not intended to be, nor should it be construed as, legal, financial, or professional advice. No consultant-client relationship is established by engaging with this content. You should seek the advice of a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding any legal or business matters. The consultant assumes no liability for any actions taken based on the information provided.
Topics:
