If you, your family, or your representative, have a concern while receiving care at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center (CRMC) or any of our clinics, please talk to your doctor, nurse, or caregiver right away.

If you have a concern that you cannot solve with your doctor, nurse or caregiver, or you prefer to talk to a Patient Advocate, call (218) 545-5380.

If you have concerns regarding cost or billed services, please contact the Business Office at (844) 735-5615.

When contacting the Patient Advocate, please be ready to share the following information:

• The nature of your concern;
• The name(s) of the person(s) involved, if known;
• The department in which the concern occurred;
• The date on which the concern occurred;
• Your ideas about how you would like us to help.

Our investigation will include:

• Asking your permission to start the investigation, if someone else is calling on your behalf.
• Talking with you and/or your family, so that we know your concerns.
• Contacting and talking with the person(s) named in your complaint.
• Reviewing all appropriate documents, including your medical record, if necessary.
• Collaborating with you on a possible resolution.

What to expect from the process:

A representative from Cuyuna Regional Medical Center will contact you, review your complaint, and make every effort to resolve your concerns at that time. If your complaint cannot be resolved in a timely manner, it will become a grievance. A CRMC representative will keep you informed, including if additional time is needed to complete the review. A letter will be sent to you in response to concerns regarding the quality of care received that will include the name of the CRMC representative, steps taken for the review, results of the review, and the completion date.

A representative of the facility will contact you regarding resolution of your concern, this may be done by phone, letter or both.

FAQS

Is the Patient Advocate employed by CRMC?

Yes, but the Patient Advocate acts as a neutral party by serving as a link between you and the medical center. Patient Advocates are not lawyers and do not provide legal advice.

What kind of issues does the Patient Advocate handle?

A Patient Advocate looks into and helps resolve patient and family complaints regarding care. If you are not satisfied with your care or if there are communication issues, a Patient Advocate can help you.

What if it is an issue with billing?

If you have a concern regarding your bill or the billing process, contact the Business Office at (844) 735-5615.

Who can call a Patient Advocate?

Patients, families, visitors or staff can contact a Patient Advocate with an issue of concern regarding patients. Patient care concerns will ONLY be discussed with the patient or their legal representative, however we will listen to all concerns.

How can I access the Patient Advocate?

The Patient Advocate is available during normal business hours by calling (218) 545-5380. You are welcome to leave a message and the Patient Advocate will call you to discuss the concerns. You can email patientadvocate@cuyunamed.org, but please note that email is not a secure form of communication therefore you should not include protected health information such as a date of birth in an email.

If I have a concern, how will it be handled?

The Patient Advocate will look into your concern and work with you to resolve the issue. Your complaint is then entered into our database and reports are sent to hospital leadership several times a year. This information is used to enhance the services we deliver.

Can I report a complaint without giving my name?

Yes, but the investigation and follow-up will be more difficult to do because we will not be able to use specific information about your case.

What if I want to report my complaint to an outside agency?

You can file a quality of care complaints with the following agencies:

• Minnesota Department of Health Office of Health Facility Complaints at 651-201-4201 / 800-369-7994
• The Joint Commission at 800-994-6610
• Livanta (Medicare recipients) at 888−524−9900
• Office of the Ombudsman for Older Americans at 651-431-2555 / 800-657-3591 / TTY:771  800-627-3529