Patient Rights and Commitments

Boulder Care is committed to offering a respectful and welcoming environment for everyone. We warmly welcome people of all cultures, ethnicities, gender identities and expressions, sexual orientations, national origins, races, religions and ideas, and we are committed to maintaining a care environment free of discrimination.

As a Boulder Care Patient, you have a right to:

• Care that is delivered with respect, compassion and kindness, and care that is always free from discrimination, abuse or harassment
• Individualized treatment that supports your dignity, safety and comfort
• Protected privacy and confidentiality of your personal health information
• Be involved and supported in developing your own treatment plan and goals
• Receive information about your health condition(s) and the treatment options available to you, including the risks and benefits of telehealth-based treatment for substance use disorders
• Make informed choices regarding the treatment plan you and your care team develop together, including refusing care if you choose to
• Tell us who you would like involved in your treatment and decisions about your care, which we will do only with your express permission
• Ask questions about insurance and billing without any effect on your care
• Receive assistance for clear communication, including free language translation services
• Tell us about any concerns or complaints you might have without affecting the quality or delivery of your care

As a Boulder Care patient, both for your own wellbeing and the wellbeing of your care team, we ask that you commit to the following:

Take an active role in your treatment and your health care decisions. We want you to feel empowered and in control of your recovery — however you personally define success. Our aim is to design a care plan together, focused on your unique needs and goals. You know yourself better than anyone: you and your provider can be partners in making important decisions together.

Ask questions if something is unclear or you wish to learn more. Our providers do their very best to cover a range of content about addiction, treatment options, and our program — but it always helps us tailor your experience when you let us know what you need. You can ask questions during your visit or send us a message any time.

Tell your care team about changes — expected or unexpected — in your life or health that might affect your treatment or care plan. Success in addiction treatment is profoundly affected by social, environmental, physical and mental health, and life circumstances. When we know where you are, we can be sure we’re meeting you there.

Be considerate and respectful of your care team. Refrain from using discriminatory, threatening, or derogatory language or behavior, and understand that these behaviors may limit your access to care at Boulder. We need to take the best possible care of our staff so they can take the best possible care of you! Our relationship with you is very important to us, and we strive for it to be characterized by deep mutual respect and support.

Attend appointments you’ve scheduled with your team, or cancel or reschedule appointments as soon as you know you’re unable to attend. We aim to make visit scheduling as easy and flexible as possible, without charging any late fees or penalties for cancelled visits. Our clinicians work hard to be available when patients need us. By giving us a heads up, you are helping us better serve other patients who may need an appointment urgently.

Review Boulder’s notice of privacy practices, which explains how we may use your health information and your right to access and control your health information. There are real risks involved when sensitive health information is misused, especially for people with substance use disorders. We take protecting your information extremely seriously, but need your help to be successful.

Concerns and Suggestions

We want to learn from you and truly value your feedback. Please talk with us if you have any concerns, complaints or suggestions about improving your treatment, and we will never interrupt your care just because you have a concern or complaint. If you’re not comfortable speaking with your Care Team directly, you can submit feedback to our patient relations team. You’ll have options to provide anonymous feedback or to request that we follow up with you about your concerns.

We will never retaliate against you for filing a complaint. If you are not satisfied with the manner in which a complaint is handled, you may submit a formal complaint to one or more of the following:

The Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights by:

• Sending an email to OCRPrivacy@hhs.gov
• Mailing a letter to:

Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights 200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Room 509F, HHH Building Washington, D.C. 20201

• Calling 1-877-696-6775
• Visiting www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/

The Joint Commission either electronically or addressed to: Office of Quality and Patient Safety The Joint Commission One Renaissance Boulevard Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181