Rights and Responsibilities

The dialysis facility must inform patients (or their representatives) of their rights (including privacy rights) and responsibilities when they begin their treatment and must protect and provide for the exercise of those rights.

Dialysis Consumer Rights and Responsibilities (English)
Dialysis Consumer Rights and Responsibilities (Español)

AS A DIALYSIS CONSUMER, I HAVE THE RIGHT...

  • To respect, dignity, and recognition of my individuality and personal needs, and sensitivity to my psychological needs and ability to cope with ESRD;

  • To privacy and confidentiality in all aspects of treatment;

  • To receive all information in a way that I can understand;

  • To privacy and confidentiality in personal medical records;

  • To be informed about and participate, if desired, in all aspects of my care, and be informed of the right to refuse treatment, to discontinue treatment, and to refuse to participate in experimental research;

  • To be informed about my right to execute advance directives, and the facility’s policy regarding advance directives;

  • To be informed about all treatment modalities and settings, including but not limited to, transplantation, home dialysis modalities (home hemodialysis, intermittent peritoneal dialysis, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis), and in-facility hemodialysis. I have a right to receive resource information for dialysis modalities not offered by the facility, including information about alternative scheduling options for working patients;

  • To be informed of facility policies regarding patient care, including, but not limited to, isolation of patients;

  • To be informed of facility policies regarding the reuse of dialysis supplies, including hemodialyzers;

  • To be informed by the physician, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or physician’s assistant treating me for ESRD my medical status as documented in my medical record, unless the medical record contains a documented contraindication;

  • To be informed of services available in the facility and charges for services not covered under Medicare;

  • To receive the necessary services outlined in my plan of care;

  • To be informed of the rules and expectations of the facility regarding patient conduct and responsibilities;

  • To be informed of the facility’s internal grievance process;

  • To be informed of my right to file internal grievances or external grievances or both without reprisal or denial of services and to be informed that the grievance may be filed personally, anonymously or through a representative of my choosing; and

  • To be informed of the facility’s discharge and transfer policies, routine or involuntary discharge and the discontinuation of services to patients; to receive written notice 30 days in advance of an involuntary discharge procedure. (In the event of an immediate and severe threat made by patient to another patient or staff, the facility has a right to involuntarily discharge the patient immediately to ensure the safety of all.)

AS A DIALYSIS CONSUMER, I HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY...

  • To treat other patients and staff as I would like to be treated, with respect;

  • To pay my bills on time. If this is hard for me, I can ask about a payment plan;

  • To tell my health care team if I refuse any treatment or medicine that my doctor has ordered for me;

  • To tell my health care team if I don’t understand my medical condition or treatment plan;

  • To be on time for treatments or when I see my doctor;

  • To tell the staff at the center if I know that I’m going to be late or miss a treatment or visit to my doctor;

  • To tell my health care team if I have medical problems, am going to the dentist, am being treated by another doctor, or have recently been to the hospital;

  • To participate in my own care planning and to attend plan of care meetings whenever possible;

  • To refrain from the use of inappropriate or threatening language;

  • To follow the rules and regulations of the center;

  • To learn what an emergency is and what actions must be taken in emergency situations; and

  • To get to and from the center for my treatments. Medicare does not pay for transportation.