This page outlines the following topics: Notice of Nondiscrimination, Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, Accessibility Requirements, Designated Support Persons, and our Discrimination Grievance Process.
Notice of Nondiscrimination
Our patients and members of our community have the right to receive considerate, respectful, compassionate and appropriate clinical care in a safe setting regardless of age, gender, race, color national origin, religion, language, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital or parental status, pregnancy, disabilities, veteran's status, citizenship or source of payment.
Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act
Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18116) and its implementing regulations at 45 C.F.R. pt. 92, issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in certain health programs and activities.
Section 1557 and its implementing regulations may be examined in the Office of Kristin Meador, Acting Compliance Officer and 1557 Coordinator, 213 S. Jefferson Street (Suite 1201), Roanoke, VA 24011, phone: 540-510-4603, fax: 540-224-5787, email: klmeador@carilionclinic.org. Ms. Meador has been designated to coordinate the efforts of Carilion Clinic to comply with Section 1557.
Accessibility Requirements
To ensure that individuals can communicate in a meaningful manner, we provide reasonable and necessary aids and services free of charge and in a timely manner, including:
- Auxiliary aids and services, such as qualified interpreters for individuals with disabilities and information in alternate formats.
- Language services to people whose primary language is not English, such as qualified interpreters and critical information written in other languages.
If you need such aids and services, please notify your caregiver, a Carilion Clinic staff member or contact us by emailing direct@carilionclinic.org.
Designated Support Persons
In adherence to Virginia Code 32.1-137.08, Carilion Clinic hospitals provide disabled patients with access to a designated support person (DSP) during any admission.
- The disabled patient (or authorized representative/care provider) has a right to identify a designated support person to accompany the patient during an admission.
- This identified individual must be 18 years of age or older and knowledgeable about the patient’s needs and may provide necessary support and assistance due to the specifics of the person’s disability at any time health care services are provided.
- To assure notification of DSP rights, the Carilion Clinic Patient Rights policy is distributed to a patient on admission, and information is available both through the Patient Rights Policy document and here on the Carilion Clinic website.
- A designated support person is not considered a visitor and is not subject to any such restriction.
- The DSP may, however, be required to comply with reasonable requirements of the facility to protect the health and safety of the disabled person, the DSP, staff, patients, visitors, and the public.
Discrimination Grievance Process
If you believe Carilion Clinic has failed to meet these nondiscrimination standards or provide these accessibility services, you can file a written grievance in person or by mail, fax or email to:
Title: Kristin Meador, Acting Chief Compliance Officer Address: 213 S. Jefferson St., Suite 1201, Roanoke, VA 24011 Fax: 540-224-5787 Email: compliance@carilionclinic.org
It is against the law for Carilion Clinic to retaliate against anyone who opposes discrimination, files a grievance, or participates in the investigation of a grievance.
The procedure for discrimination grievances is as follows:
Grievances must be submitted to Kristin Meador, acting Section 1557 coordinator, within 60 days of the date the person filing the grievance becomes aware of the alleged discriminatory action.
A complaint must be in writing, containing the name and address of the person filing it. The complaint must state the problem or action alleged to be discriminatory and the remedy or relief sought.
The Section 1557 coordinator (or her designee) shall conduct an investigation of the complaint. This investigation may be informal, but it will be through, affording all interested persons an opportunity to submit evidence relevant to the complaint. The Section 1557 coordinator will maintain the files and records of Carilion Clinic relating to such grievances. To the extent possible, and in accordance with applicable law, the Section 1557 coordinator will take appropriate steps to preserve the confidentiality of files and records relating to grievance and will share them only with those who have a need to know.
The Section 1557 coordinator will issue a written decision on the grievance, based on a preponderance of the evidence, no later than 30 days after its filing, including a notice to the complainant of their right to pursue further administrative or legal remedies.
The person filing the grievance may appeal the decision of the Section 1557 coordinator within 15 days of receiving the Section 1557 coordinator’s decision. The organization shall issue a written decision in response to the appeal no later than 30 days after its filing.
The availability and use of this grievance procedure does not prevent a person from pursuing other legal or administrative remedies, including filing a complaint of discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in court or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. A person can file a complaint of discrimination electronically through the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Portal, which is available online at https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/portal/lobby.jsf or by mail or phone at:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Room 509F, HHH Building Washington, D.C. 20201 Phone: 1-800-368-1019, TDD: 1-800-537-7697
Complaint forms are available online at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/office/file/index.html. Such complaints must be filed within 180 days of the date of the alleged discrimination.
Carilion Clinic will make appropriate arrangements to ensure that individuals with disabilities and individuals with limited English proficiency are provided auxiliary aids and services or language assistance services, respectively, if needed to participate in this grievance process. Such arrangements may include, but are not limited to, providing qualified interpreters, providing taped cassettes of materials for individual with low vision, or assuring a barrier-free location for the proceedings. The Section 1557 Coordinator will be responsible for such arrangements.
