Voice Your Concerns
We have a Poster on Patients' Rights.
And a Spanish version of the document below
El papel de la Red Renal del Noroeste en el manejo de quejas y reclamos.
The Role of Northwest Renal Network in Handling Complaints and Grievances.
Patient Toll-Free Number for Northwest Renal Network: 1-800-262-1514
Northwest Renal Network is a non-profit organization funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Its mission is to promote optimal dialysis and transplant care for kidney patients in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.
One of its most important responsibilities is to serve as an unbiased, outside review agency. Patients, family members, facility staff, and others may contact the Network regarding the care provided to patients at Medicare-certified facilities.
What should you expect when contacting the Network?
Network staff will encourage you to try to work out your concerns with the staff at your facility and may make suggestions on how to approach the situation. However, you are not required to try to work out the concerns with your facility before requesting Network assistance.
Network staff will offer you several options when you call including:
- Confidential Consultation – you just want to talk with someone about your care or want information and resources.
- Immediate Advocacy – you want the Network to help you and the facility find a solution for your concerns. The Network will investigate your concerns and work towards a solution.
- Quality of Care Review – you want the Network to investigate, and your concerns involve potential adverse clinical outcomes or violation of rights for you and/or other patients.
- Referral – your situation or concerns fall under the responsibility of another agency. You will be provided with the contact information for the other agency.
You may switch options at any time or completely withdraw your request for assistance. Your identity will not be revealed unless you authorize it. You may make anonymous reports to the Network.
What is involved in a Quality of Care Review?
If your concerns indicate that a quality of care review is needed, you will receive a written acknowledgment of your grievance. Network staff will respond to your grievance. Steps in the response may include:
- Investigate the situation
- Submit the grievance for review by the Network Medical Review Board – a group of social workers, doctors, nurses, patients and dietitians
- Request documentation and/or perform on-site investigations
- Request the facility to make any necessary changes
- Provide you a written summary of the investigation and findings
How do I reach the State Agency which licenses and surveys dialysis facilities?
Both Northwest Renal Network and State Survey Agencies monitor the quality of care provided to patients and investigate complaints. We have provided a list of the State Survey Agencies in our region and their contact information.
|
STATE SURVEY AGENCY CONTACTS |
||
|---|---|---|
| Alaska |
Dept. of Health & Social Services |
Hotline (907) 563-0037 in Anchorage |
| Idaho | Bureau of Facility Standards Div. of Medicaid Idaho Depart. of Health & Welfare PO Box 83720 Boise, Idaho 83720-0036 |
Phone (208) 334-6626 Fax (208) 364-1888 http://www.facilitystandards.idaho.gov |
| Montana | Quality Assurance Division Montana Dept. of Health & Human Services PO Box 202953 Helena, Montana 59620-2953 |
Hotline 1-800-762-4618 Phone (406) 444-2099 Fax (406) 444-1742 http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/qad/complaintprocedure/ |
| Oregon | DHS Healthcare Licensure & Certification PO Box 14450 Portland, Oregon 97293-0450 |
Phone (971) 673-0540 Fax (971) 673-0556 http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/hclc/ |
| Washington | WA State Department of Health Health Systems Quality Assurance Complaint Intake PO Box 47857 Olympia, Washington 98504-7857 |
Hotline (800) 633-6828 Phone (360) 236-2900 ext 1 Fax (360) 236-2901 http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/fsl/CompHome.htm |
What if I have concerns regarding Medicare insurance benefits or State or Federal licensure or certification issues?
You may contact the Regional Office of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS):
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Division of Quality Improvement, Region 10
701 - 5th Ave, Suite 1600, M/S RX-500
Seattle, WA 98121
Phone: (206) 615-2310
What if I have concerns regarding the services provided by Northwest Renal Network?
You may contact the Associate Regional Administrator (ARA) Shane Illies at the Regional CMS Office listed above.
Additional Resources
Grievance Protocol – A handout of the Network protocol for handling complaints and grievances. It contains most of the information on this page, in English and Spanish.
Network Complaint and Grievance Poster – A poster sent to each dialysis and transplant center in Network 16 to post in their patient waiting areas, in English and Spanish.
If you can't read any of these documents
Page updated August 16, 2016
