Complaint & Grievance

CLIENT COMPLAINT/GRIEVANCE PROCESS

Advanced Living Care  LLC, in support of its belief that clients, who use its services, have the right to complain and make their views known without fear of reprisal, have an accessible, visible and direct process for filing and resolving complaints.

The purpose of the complaint/grievance process is to outline the process for addressing complaints/grievances to prevent unfair practice, harassment, maltreatment, discrimination, and other unethical practice or behavior against clients. It is to ensure:

1. The client/client’s representative/family that they are able to make complaints;

2. The complaint is investigated promptly; and

3. Corrective actions are taken.

DEFINITION

A complaint/grievance is any communication from a client or a member of their family or from a caregiver, either in verbal or written form and/or by other means, expressing dissatisfaction with anything relating to the provision of care.

PROCEDURES

1.      Individuals, who are dissatisfied or who have a grievance/complaint, have the right to bring the matter to the attention of the Agency and have it resolved to their satisfaction.

2.      A client who is dissatisfied about something, shall inform Advanced Living Care LLC at the earliest opportunity. 

3.      Clients’ rights to receive services from the Agency shall not be affected by raising complaints, grievances, issues or disputes.

4.      Complaints may be made either verbally or in writing by telephone, in person, by letter or other means to:

                             Advanced Living Care LLC

Attention:             Lee Yang

Address:              903 Bongey Drive, Menomonie, WI 54751

Phone:                 715-505-2812

Fax:                      715-235-2090

5.      Individuals may also request the Agency’s Complaint Grievance form by calling, emailing, or in writing to:

                            Advanced Living Care LLC

Attention:            Lee Yang

Address:             Bongey Drive, Menomonie, WI 54751

Phone:                715-505-2812

Fax:                    715-235-2090

6.      Once complaint/grievance is received, Advanced Living Care LLC manager shall record the complaint/grievance into the initial complaints log.  All phone and verbal complaints should be documented with a summary of the discussion send to the client.

7.      Manager shall respond to the complaint/grievance prior to the next scheduled service visit or within 48 hours, whichever comes first which includes:

• giving a verbal or written apology; and/or,

• changing a behavior, policy or practice;

• confirming that the complaint/grievance is acknowledged and its Agency is investigating the circumstance to achieve acceptable immediate solution;

• where is not possible to solve the problem to satisfaction of the parties concerned at the time, advice from appropriate organizations will be sought.

8.      When legal implications arise, Advanced Living Care LLC shall inform clients of their right to make a complaint to the local law enforcement, to seek legal advice.

9.      All complaints shall be handled in the strictest of confidentiality.

10.   Advanced Living Care LLC shall keep record of all complaints/grievances received in its Agency office, including details of the investigation and action(s) taken.

11.   Complaints/grievances, which the Agency is requested to review, shall use the following process:

a.      The individual(s), wishing to make a complaint, shall be given the Agency’s Complaint Grievance form following the call in step 7 within 24-48 hours.

b.      The Complaint Grievance form will be sent to the Manager for review and investigation.

c.      Manager will attempt to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.  Minor issues can take from 24 hours to 7 working days.  Major issues can take up to 30 days or more depending on the complex level of investigation.

d.      If the complaint/grievance still remains unresolved or the individual(s) making the complaint would prefer to speak with the Administrator, the individual(s) making the complaint and/or others involved should contact the Administrator.

e.     Administrator shall attempt to find the cause of the dissatisfaction and work with the individual(s) making the complaint to resolve the issue.  Minor issues can take from 24 hours to 7 working days.  Major issues can take up to 30 days or more depending on the complex level of investigation.

f.      If the complaint/grievance continues to remain unresolved, and is of a legal nature, the Administrator shall remind the individual(s) making the complaint/grievance of their right to contact the local law enforcement, to seek legal advice, to contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and/or contact the Bureau of Health Services. 

Complaint/grievance regarding personal care agencies may be submitted directly to Bureau of Health Services, Division of Quality Assurance in the following ways:

1.      Call the toll-free complaint line at:  1-800-642-6552

2.      Write a letter and mail it to:

DHS/Division of Quality Assurance

BHS/Acute Care Compliance Section

P.O. Box 2969

Madison, WI 53701-2969

INPROCESS/INVESTIGATION

During the investigation and/or review process of complaint/grievance, manager will:

• Ensure that the employee/s involved respond to the complaint and all other associated are advised of actions taken during all stages of the complaint procedure.

• Investigate the complaint and establish the facts.

• Determine if any policies and regulations have been broken, and if so, which policies and regulations.

• Attach all relevant documentation to the complaints investigation form with the complaint/grievance.

• Ensure that necessary corrective action is taken.

• After a full investigation, the manager will relay a response to the complainant detailing the corrective action to be taken.

• Monitor the effectiveness of the action.

• Ensure that the Agency maintains a record of all complaints and analyzes all complaints and report on the findings at management review meetings.

• Depending on the case, resolution may take at a minimum of 24 hours to 90 days.

• In serious case/s and/or life threatening cases, individuals involved will be terminated and/or removed immediately from the premises follow by Agency’s investigation process.