No discrimination policy
POLICY:
This policy was developed to comply with Federal non-discrimination regulations and shall be applied in accordance with the Oxum Health and Wellness policies and standards, as referenced below.
Oxum Health and Wellness is committed to ensuring that all its services are accessible to all individuals, including individuals with disabilities. In turn, Oxum Health and Wellness provides this policy to foster a healthcare environment free from unlawful harassment and discrimination in accordance with federal, state, and local law and one where patients are treated with equality in a welcoming and respectful manner.
Oxum Health and Wellness will provide all patients equal access to healthcare services. Oxum Health and Wellness prohibits discrimination against patients based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, age, disability, marital status, familial status, or other protected classification. Oxum Health and Wellness also prohibits retaliation against any individual who files a complaint or participates in the investigation of a complaint filed under one or more of the aforementioned prohibitions.
This policy applies to staff and other paid or non-paid classifications of workers who perform work for Oxum Health and Wellness.
DEFINITIONS:
"Discrimination or to discriminate" shall mean to treat someone differently or less favorably based on one or more of the following protected classifications: race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, age, disability, marital status, familial status or other protected classification.
"Disability" shall mean a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of an individual. Included in the definition are individuals who have a record of such an impairment, or are regarded as having such an impairment.
"Harassment" shall mean unwelcomed conduct (whether verbal or physical) that is based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, age, disability, marital status, familial status or other protected classification and creates an environment that would be intimidating, hostile or offensive to a reasonable person. Such harassing behavior may include but is not limited to, offensive jokes, slurs, epithets or name-calling, physical assaults or threats, intimidation, ridicule or mockery, insults, offensive objects or pictures, and any other conduct or behavior that interferes with services provided in the health care environment.
"Retaliation" shall mean any adverse action taken against an individual for making a good faith complaint of employment discrimination or participating in any investigation or proceeding concerning a complaint of employment discrimination. Retaliation includes threatening, intimidating, harassing, or any other conduct that would discourage a reasonable person from engaging in activity protected under this policy.
GUIDELINES:
RESPONSIBILITY
Oxum Health and Wellness is committed to enforcing this policy, and each Oxum Health and Wellness employee is individually responsible for compliance with these guidelines.
OXUM HEALTH AND WELLNESS 'S OFFICE OF PATIENT EXPERIENCE AND COMPLAINT PROCEDURES
The President is responsible for ensuring patients have access to the services they need. In addition, it is responsible for the intake and investigation of patients' complaints and coordinating to resolve the matter.
COMMUNICATION AND TRAINING
Training: Individuals who perform work for Oxum Health and Wellness and who interact with patients shall be provided training regarding the Patient Non-Discrimination policy during new worker orientation and through recurring (i.e., annual/biennial) training thereafter.
Communication to Patients: The policy shall be made available on Oxum Health and Wellness 's website to all patients and information about the policy posted in all patient care areas, waiting areas, and entrances where health care services are provided.
Communication Considerations: Oxum Health and Wellness provides effective alternate means of communicating patient rights and responsibilities to patients/guardians/families in a manner appropriate to their age, understanding, ability, and language preference, having rights/responsibilities read to them, or provided through a language or American Sign Language interpreter service at no cost to the patient. Additional auxiliary aids for the hearing impaired (i.e., Text Telephone ("TTY")/Telecommunication Device for the Hearing Impaired ("TDD"), written materials, telephone handset amplifiers, assistive listening devices, television closed captioning, and writing tablets, are also made available.
Making Facilities and Programs Accessible for Persons with Disabilities: Oxum Health and Wellness shall inform patients of the availability of, and make reasonable accommodations for patients in accordance with, federal, state and local laws.
VIOLATIONS
Individuals with Oxum Health and Wellness who are determined to have violated this policy shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including separation from Oxum Health and Wellness . Violations include, but are not limited to: engaging in discriminatory or retaliatory conduct towards any individual covered under this policy; intentionally engaging in factual misrepresentations during the pendency of an investigation; failing to cooperate in an investigate when called as a witness or respondent; promoting or enabling discriminatory or retaliatory conduct by others towards a patient or other individual covered under this policy.
POLICY INTERPRETATION; COMPLIANCE WITH NONDISCRIMINATION LAWS AND RELATED REGULATIONS; AMENDMENT
This policy and the guidelines described above shall be interpreted consistently with federal, state, and local non-discrimination laws, other guidance and/or administrative regulations issued by the Office for Civil Rights and other appropriate governmental agencies, and any interpretative case law. Amendments to this policy warranted by changes in the law may occur from time to time. In such cases, individuals shall be advised of any substantive and material amendments to this policy.
Individuals who are not satisfied with an internal resolution of their complaint may file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, at https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/filing-a-complaint/complaint-process/index.html.