Patient Rights and Responsibilities

As a Home Health Patient, you have the right to receive safe, respectful, and quality care in your home. VNA is responsible for protecting your rights, keeping you informed, and involving you in decisions about your care.

1. Your Rights as a Patient

You have the right to:

Be treated with dignity and respect: Receive care without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, disability, or sexual orientation.
Receive safe and appropriate care: Be accepted for services only when the agency can safely meet your care needs.
Participate in your care: Be informed about your condition, treatment plan, medications, services, visit schedule, and expected outcomes.
Accept or refuse treatment: Make informed decisions about your care, including advance directives.
Receive effective pain management: Have your pain assessed and appropriately managed.
Privacy and confidentiality: Have your personal, medical, and financial information protected in accordance with HIPAA regulations.
Access your records and bills: Request access to your medical records and billing information.
Receive information about costs: Be informed of charges, insurance coverage, and services that may not be covered before care begins.
Receive language assistance: Access interpreters, translation services, and auxiliary aids at no additional cost when needed.
Be free from abuse and neglect: Be protected from physical, verbal, mental, sexual, and emotional abuse, neglect, and misuse of personal property.
Have your property respected: Agency staff may not borrow money or belongings or accept personal gifts from patients.
Receive all services included in your care plan: Be informed of any proposed changes, reductions, or termination of services.
Voice concerns without retaliation: Raise complaints about care, staff conduct, safety, or services without fear of discrimination or punishment.
Refuse participation in research: You may decline participation in experimental treatments, research, or clinical trials.

2. Your Right to Make Complaints

You or your representative may report concerns about the care you receive, including:

Poor or inappropriate care.
Missed or inadequate services.
Staff behavior or disrespect.
Abuse, neglect, or mistreatment.
Violation of patient rights.
Concerns about patient safety.

The agency must investigate complaints, document the concerns and their resolution, and take appropriate steps to prevent further problems.

You may contact the Agency Director of Clinical Services or the appropriate state or accreditation organization if you have concerns.

3. Your Right to Be Informed

Before or during the start of care, the agency will explain:

Your rights and responsibilities.
The agency’s contact information and complaint process.
The agency’s transfer and discharge policies.
Your care plan, treatments, medications, and visit schedule.
Your expected costs and insurance coverage.
Your privacy rights and applicable advance directive policies.
The names and contact information of important care team members.

Information must be provided in a language and manner you understand. You may ask questions at any time.

You or your legally authorized representative will be asked to sign acknowledging receipt of the Patient Rights and Responsibilities notice.

4. When Can Home Care Services Be Transferred or Discontinued?

Your services may be transferred or discontinued under certain circumstances, including:

Your care needs exceed what the agency can safely provide.
Your treatment goals have been achieved and skilled services are no longer needed.
You choose to stop services or request a transfer.
You move outside the agency’s service area.
You are no longer homebound, when applicable.
You or your insurance payer can no longer pay for services.
Your physician orders discharge.
The agency closes or stops providing services.
Care cannot be safely or effectively provided in your home.

If the agency considers discharge because of disruptive, abusive, or uncooperative behavior, it must first make efforts to resolve the situation, notify the appropriate individuals, provide information about other care providers, and document its efforts.

When a transfer or discharge is necessary, the agency should coordinate appropriate follow-up care to help ensure your safety and continuity of care.

5. Your Responsibilities as a Patient

To help ensure safe and effective care, you are responsible for:

Providing accurate and complete information about your health, medical history, medications, and current condition.
Informing the agency about changes in your health, hospitalization, or unexpected symptoms.
Notifying the agency if you need to change a scheduled visit.
Informing the agency about advance directives and any changes to them.
Following your agreed-upon plan of care and treatment instructions.
Asking questions whenever you do not understand your care or instructions.
Sharing concerns or dissatisfaction with the services provided.
Maintaining a safe environment for agency staff to provide care.
Treating agency staff with respect and consideration.
Following agency policies and procedures.
Meeting agreed-upon financial responsibilities.

Understanding that not following the recommended plan of care may affect your health and treatment outcomes.

6. Important Reminders for Patients and Families

Remember Your Rights

You have the right to ask questions and understand your care.
You can participate in decisions about your treatment.
You can accept or refuse care.
You can report concerns without fear of retaliation.
Your privacy, dignity, and personal belongings must be respected.

Your family member or legally authorized representative may help exercise your rights when legally appropriate.

Know Whom to Contact

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about your care, please contact the agency’s Director of Patient Services at 831-760-5780 or the Administrator at 831-372-6668.

For a medical emergency, call 911 or seek emergency medical attention.