If you have a concern about the care being provided to you or a family member in a dialysis facility or transplant center, you may call the Network at any time. However, you are encouraged to speak to the facility manager, charge nurse or social worker first. Each facility is required, by the Federal Regulations, to have a process to address/resolve concerns. The social worker in the facility is expected to be the patient's advocate.
The Network will serve as an advocate when addressing patient concerns in the dialysis facility or transplant center. The process involves investigating, educating and promoting communication so that all parties can work toward an acceptable resolution. If the Network has a concern about the safety of patients, it is immediately forwarded to the appropriate State Survey Agency for for onsite investigation. You can also contact the State Survey Agency directly if you have a safety concern about a dialysis facility.
When contacted regarding a concern or grievance, the Network will:
- With permission, contact the dialysis facility or transplant center on the grievant's behalf to resolve the concern. A grievant may remain anonymous throughout the investigation; however, it may limit the Network's ability to investigate the specific concern.
- Advocate for the patient's rights.
- Make recommendations to both the grievant and the dialysis facility.
- Require the facility to submit documentation (treatment sheets, progress notes, etc) for review depending on the nature of the concern.
- Follow-up, as needed, to make sure the facility is implementing the recommendations.
The Network cannot:
- Mandate that a physician, dialysis facility, or transplant center accept a patient.
- Request that a specific staff member provide care for a specific patient.
- Change or direct dialysis facilitypolicies or procedures.
- Override Federal Regulations.
This toolkit, developed by the Forum of ESRD Networks, is designed by patients for patients to help work through the grievance process/system:
Patient Rights Poster (PDF)—Do you know your rights as a patient? This poster reviews important patient rights for dialysis patients to know and understand.
Patient Responsibilities Poster (PDF)—Do you know your responsibilities as a patient? This poster reviews important patient responsibilities for dialysis patients to know and understand.
To contact the Network by phone, please dial the contact phone number listed in your repsective Network below during the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (ET), Monday through Friday.
Network 7: Florida
Network 13: Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas
Network 15: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming
Network 17: American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, Mariana Islands, Northern California
Network 18: Southern California
To contact the Network by phone, please dial 800.826.3773 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (ET), Monday through Friday.
You also can mail a grievance to the following address:
HSAG: The Florida ESRD Network
3133 East Camelback Road, Suite 140
Phoenix, AZ 85016-4545
Download Patient Grievance Posters by clicking below:
Download Concerns or Questions About Your Care?, a one-page informational handout explaining what a grievance is and what to do/who to contact if you have concerns about your treatment.
Click here to download a helpful tool for referencing the V-Tags and Interpretive Guidance Regarding Patient Grievances.
To contact the Network by phone, please dial 800.472.8664 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (CT), Monday through Friday.
You also can mail a grievance to the following address:
HSAG: ESRD Network 13
3133 East Camelback Road, Suite 140
Phoenix, AZ 85016-4545
Download Patient Grievance Posters by clicking below:
To contact the Network by phone, please dial 800.783.8818 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (MT), Monday through Friday.
You also can mail a grievance to the following address:
HSAG: ESRD Network 15
3133 East Camelback Road, Suite 140
Phoenix, AZ 85016-4545
Download Patient Grievance Posters by clicking below:
Click here to download a helpful tool for referencing the V-Tags and Interpretive Guidance Regarding Patient Grievances.
The Benefits of Getting Your Grievance "In Order" (PDF)—This one-page tip sheet can help you organize your thoughts in order to voice your grievance in a way that will be well received and responded to. It was developed as part of the Grievance Quality Improvement Activity.
Can You Ever Be Discharged from Dialysis? (PDF)—This important handout explains, simply but comprehensively, the four reasons a patient can be involuntarily discharged from his/her dialysis facility
¿Puede usted ser dado de alta de diálisis? ¡Sí tu puedes! (Caring About Your Care in Spanish) (PDF)—¿Puede usted ser dado de alta de diálisis? es un folleto importante que explica, de forma sencilla pero exhaustiva, las cuatro razones que un paciente puede ser dado de alta involuntariamente de su centro de diálisis
To contact the Network by phone, please dial 800.232.3773 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday.
You also can mail a greivance to the following address:
HSAG: ESRD Network 17
3133 East Camelback Road, Suite 140
Phoenix, AZ 85016-4545
Download Concerns or Questions About Your Care?, a one-page informational handout explaining what a grievance is and what to do/who to contact if you have concerns about your treatment.
Grievance Brochure (PDF) (English/Spanish)—This brochure provides information to patients on their options if they have concern about their dialysis care.
Network 17 Grievance Posters—The posters below outline the options available to patients if they have a concern or grievance regarding their care. English and Spanish language versions are available for dialysis clinics to download and print for display in their facilities.
Conflict Resolution Tip Sheet (PDF)—These tips can help foster a positive and productive conflict resolution meeting.
V-Tags and Interpretive Guidance Regarding Patient Grievances (PDF)—This document provides information om the CMS End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Program Interim Final Version Interpretive Guidance Version 1.1.
Retaliation Team Activity: Understanding Retaliation from the Patient’s Perspective (PDF)—This activity highlights the differences in perception between patients and staff regarding the issue of retaliation.
To contact the Network by phone, please dial 800.637.4767 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday.
You also can mail a grievance to the following address:
HSAG ESRD Network 18
3133 East Camelback Road, Suite 140
Phoenix, AZ 85016-4545
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