As a VNA patient, you have the right to be informed of and exercise the following rights. Your family, appointed representative or legal designee may exercise these rights if you cannot make decisions about your care, treatment or services.

• Choose the agency that provides your care and have effective communication with that agency including receiving information in a manner you can understand;
• Be informed in writing of and participate in the planning of your care, make decisions about and resolve dilemmas about your care, receive appropriate instructions and education regarding the plan of care including the scope of care, names and qualifications of the staff that will furnish care and the proposed frequency of visits provided by any VNA employee or anyone providing services on our behalf, prior to the care being provided and as changes are made in the plan of care prior to the change being made;
• Request information about your diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment, including alternatives to care and risks involved, in terms that you can readily understand so that you can give your informed consent;
• Have your right to pain management respected including having your pain assessed and managed, expect pain relief and know measures will be instituted to ensure comfort;
• Refuse VNA care or treatment in accordance with law or regulation and to be informed of possible health consequences of this action;
• Choose whether or not to participate in research, investigational or experimental studies or clinical trials; refusing to participate or discontinue participation will not compromise access to care;
• Care given without discrimination as to race, color, creed, sex, age, national origin, or ability to pay; have your cultural, psychosocial, spiritual and personal values, beliefs and preferences respected; and receive pastoral and other spiritual services as needed;
• Be admitted for service only if the VNA has the ability to provide safe, professional care at the level of intensity needed and to expect reasonable continuity of care;
• Confidentiality of all communications, personal information and clinical records maintained by VNA (see Notice or Privacy Practices);
• Review all health records pertaining to you, unless the physician has documented otherwise in the medical record;
• If services are denied for any reason, receive notice at least two-weeks prior to termination of service; receive both an oral and written explanation regarding denial and information regarding community resources;
• Voice complaints/grievances regarding care that are furnished or fail to be furnished or regarding the lack of respect for property by any VNA employee or anyone providing services on our behalf and suggest changes in service or staff without being subject to coercion, reprisal, discrimination or unreasonable interruption of care. VNA will investigate and document both the existence and the resolution of the complaint and inform you of the outcome of the complaint;
• Voice compliments, concerns or complaints about VNA service by calling the VNA office at 342-5566 or by calling the 24 hour Hotline established by the State of Nebraska (1-800-245-5832) for complaints or questions about Home Health Agencies or complaints about the implementation of advance directive requirements;
• Be fully informed of agency policies and charges for services, including eligibility for third-party reimbursement;
• Receive oral and written notification of the extent to which payment may be expected from Medicare, Medicaid or other federally-funded sources, the charges that will not be covered by Medicare and the charges that you will have to pay, prior to receiving care and as soon as possible when changes are made in the plan of care but no later than 30 calendar days from the date VNA becomes aware of the change;
• Be free of mistreatment, verbal, physical, mental, sexual and psychological abuse, neglect or exploitation and to be treated with personal dignity;
• Have your privacy, property and person, safety and security treated with respect; and
• Receive information regarding Advanced Directives, formulate directives regarding health care, and be given care regardless of Advance Directive status.

Additional Hospice Patient Rights

• To choose your attending physician;
• To receive information about services covered under hospice and to receive the full range of services provided by VNA Hospice;
• To expect all efforts will be made to ensure continuity and quality of care in the home and inpatient setting;
• To receive religious and other spiritual services as needed;
• To receive effective pain management and symptom control related to the terminal illness.