December 15 2025
OASIS Answers
Categories: HOPE

Untangling the Confusion Around HOPE SFVs: Part 1 – What is an SFV

by Marian Essey, RN, BSN, COS-C

This 3-part series explores HOPE Symptom Update Visits (SFVs): 1) what is an SFV, 2) how to document SFVs, 3) how to operationalize SFVs.

The concept of the HOPE Symptom Follow-up Visit, or SFV, has conjured many questions and concerns among hospices, primarily related to operationalizing SFVs. Before we can begin to understand how to operationalize SFVs, let’s explore what they are (Part 1 of this 3-part series), how to document SFV’s (Part 2), and finally, and then discuss how to operationalize SFVs (Part 3).

Part 1: What is an SFV?

A SFV is a separate visit that occurs as a result of a HOPE Admission, HOPE Update Visit 1 (HUV1) or HUV2 in which HOPE item J2051 – Symptom Impact has any symptom impact coded as 02. Moderate or 03. Severe.

Let’s break down the SFV into a few questions to help us understand the SFV definition better:

What triggers an SFV? During the HOPE Admission, HUV1, or HUV2, when any symptom in item J2051 – Symptom Impact is coded as 02. Moderate or 03. Severe, the hospice is expected to make an in-person symptom follow-up visit.
When can an SFV take place? The SFV must be a separate visit from HOPE Admission or HUV. It may occur anytime within two calendar days, or later on the same day as the assessment where the initial finding of a moderate or severe symptom impact was determined.
Is the SFV part of the HOPE Admission, if it was triggered by J2051 – Symptom Impact at admission? Likewise, is the SFV part of the HUV if it was triggered by J2051 – Symptom Impact at HUV1 or HUV2?

Yes! While the SFV must be completed separate from the HOPE Admission the SFV is part of HOPE Admission (when triggered by J2015 at HOPE- Admission). And likewise, the SFV is part of HUV if triggered by J2051 at HUV.

More to come on this topic in Part 2 of this Blog Series!

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