Patient Services Overview
The Renal Network's Patient Services Department provides technical assistance to both patients and staff, handles complaints and grievances, and identifies and develops educational resources. The Department also facilitates the Patient Leadership Committee which acts as an advisory group and helps to define issues of patient rights and responsibilities.
NEW! Support Groups - This booklet is designed to provide a brief overview on how to plan and develop support groups for kidney patients, family members, caregivers and interested individuals.
Staff Training
The Renal Network is collaborating with five other Networks across the country to better address concerns of patients. The most frequently reported complaints from patients involved the lack of professionalism of staff or problems with communication, as well as safety issues during dialysis treatments.
To address the overall concerns of patients and to assist staff in their efforts to address these concerns regarding professionalism and safety issues, the Networks offered free WebEx programs for facility staff. The following two training programs are available online to view at your convenience. If you have questions or want more information, contact the Patient Services Department at 317-257-8265. Please complete the brief evaluation form to help us provide quality programs.
The Patient Whisperer: Compassionate Care for Challenging Situations
Recorded on Friday, January 29, 2010 at 11:00 am (ET)
Participants will learn about effective communication techniques and professionalism. The session is designed to assist staff in developing skills to better interact and build rapport with patients.
Safety in the Dialysis Unit
Recorded on Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 11:00 am (ET)
Participants will learn about common patient complaints related to safety and steps that can be taken to ensure safe compassionate care.
Involuntary Discharge Process
NEW! Federal Guidelines on Involuntary Discharge - Conditions for Coverage Section 494.110(f) [PDF, 140 KB]
NEW! TRN Involuntary Discharge Process [PDF, 24 KB]
New Fistula First Training Program
- Helping the Patient Make Healthy Fistula Choices
QI & Patient Services WebEx Training - June 23, 2009 - Fistula Coaching Program
QI & Patient Services WebEx Training - June 24, 2009
Conditions for Coverage
- Social Worker Resource Page
Includes tools and resources to facilitate the implementation of social work provisions in the new CMS Conditions for Coverage.
Patient Rights and Responsibilities
A new statement of patient rights and responsibilities has been written to reflect the new CMS Conditions for Coverage and approved by The Renal Network's Board of Trustees and its Medical Review Board. Click on the following links to view this statement as:
- a Web page
- a document in PDF format [PDF, 84KB]
Complaints and Grievances
The Patient Services Department works directly with facility staff to resolve complaints and grievances as they relate to quality of care issues.
- The Grievance Process provides an overview of procedures involved.
- The Grievance Policy provides an overview of rules and regulations that govern the grievance process.
- Access the complete grievance package download [ZIP, 85KB] by downloading a compressed zip file (requires WinZip to open).
- View recommended termination policy [PDF, 51KB]: Decreasing Dialysis Patient-Provider Conflict National Task Force Position Statement on Involuntary Discharge Executive Summary
- Annual Trends: Grievances, Complaints And Concerns
- Download the Network Grievance Poster in tabloid size (11X17) in PDF format [PDF, 92KB].
- Download Network handout for patients on handling Quality Care Concerns. Handout contains state-specific information, click on appropriate link: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. [PDF, 96KB]
Examples of Technical Assistance: Staff
- Identify and develop solutions for challenging situations, such as nonadherence or disruptive behavior
- Assists with potential involuntary discharge issues
- Assists with behavioral agreements (contracts)
The Patient Services Department is also available to assist facilities with the implementation of the following programs:
Examples of Technical Assistance: Patients
- Assists in identifying treatment options
- Assists with the use of effective methods to communicate with staff
- Assists with concerns regarding their dialysis facility and staff