Section 325.13104. Patient?family unit; rights and responsibilities policy; adoption of written procedure required.

(1) A hospice and its hospice residence, if applicable, shall adopt written policies and procedures to implement the rights and responsibilities of the patient?family unit as provided by section 20201(1) and (2) of the code. Before and following the patient?family unit's admission, the policy and procedures shall be available upon request.

(2)     The procedures shall include a  mechanism   for  the  initiation, investigation, and resolution of complaints, subject to department approval, and, at a minimum, all of the following:

(a)   A statement that a patient?family unit may complain to the hospice, hospice residence, or the department about any condition, event, or procedure in the hospice and its hospice residence, if applicable, without citing a specific violation of the code or these rules.

(b)   A procedure for submitting written complaints to the hospice and its hospice residence, if  applicable,   including  a  procedure   to  assist  a complainant in reducing an oral complaint to writing, when the oral complaint is not resolved to the satisfaction of the complainant.

(c)   The name, title, location, and telephone number of the individual in the hospice and its hospice residence, if applicable, who is responsible for receiving complaints and conducting complaint investigations and a procedure for communicating with that individual.

(d)     A requirement that all complaints be investigated within 5 working days following receipt of a complaint by the hospice and its hospice residence, if applicable, and a requirement that, within 15 working days following receipt of the complaint, the hospice and its hospice residence, if applicable, shall deliver to the complainant a written  report  of  the  results  of   the investigation.

(e)   A mechanism for appealing the matter to the administrator   of  the hospice and its hospice residence, if applicable, if the complainant is not satisfied with the investigation or resolution of the complaint.

(3)    A hospice and its hospice residence, if applicable, shall maintain written complaints filed under its complaint procedure and all complaint investigation reports delivered to each complainant for 3 years. The records shall be available to the department upon request.

History: 1984 AACS; 2003 AACS.