Know about my health problem: my diagnosis, what I can expect, and my treatment options.

Learn all I can, decide what treatment I want, and:

• Follow my meal plan and fluid limits
• Take my medications
• Come to my clinic visits on time
• Get all my prescribed treatments
• Report my symptoms or problems
• Ask questions if I don't understand

A clean, well-run, adequately-staffed clinic that follows laws.

Be on time for my visits, and call if I have to be late or miss a treatment.

Care team members who wash their hands and put on clean gloves before touching me.

Ask my care team members to wash their hands and put on fresh gloves if they forget.

Ask health care workers about their training, and refuse treatment by a trainee unless a staff member is supervising.

Treat my clinic staff with respect, say "please" and "thank you", and wait my turn if my request isn't urgent.

Know the rules at my clinic.

Follow the rules—if I don't agree, I can talk to the staff, find another clinic, or try home dialysis.

Know how much my care will cost and what resources can help me pay.

• Know my insurance coverage
• Check my bills for errors
• Pay my share
• Tell my clinic if my insurance changes
• Ask for help if I can't afford care

Know what drugs are prescribed for me, what they do, what side effects they may have, and what I should watch out for.

Ask my doctor or pharmacist about my drugs and take them:

• At the right time
• In the right dose
• As prescribed
• With or without certain foods

Know what to do in an emergency.

File a complaint or grievance if I feel my care is not safe or is not meeting standards for good care.

• Write down my complaint
• Talk to the person involved
• Ask my social worker to help
• Talk to the clinic administrator

Know what is in my medical chart.

Know my medical history, remind my doctor of my needs, and ask if something sounds wrong to me.

Complete an Advance Directive of my health wishes.

• Give a copy of my Advance Directive to my clinic, my doctor, and my family
• Be sure my doctor and the person I ask to act for me know my wishes and agree to follow them

Decide what treatment I want, and change treatments if I'm not happy.

Think through what I decide and learn enough to choose wisely.

Understand my lab tests and how their results guide my treatment.

Ask my doctor and team:

• What tests I'm being given and why
• What the results mean
• How my test results will guide my care

Refuse treatments, drugs, or research that I don't want.

Know what I'm refusing, what my options are, and what will happen to me.

Have an interpreter if I can't hear or understand my care team.

Ask for an interpreter when I need one.

Have social work and dietitian services (if I'm on dialysis).

Ask for what I need, take notes, and ask follow-up questions as needed.

Get a second opinion.

Pay for the visit if my insurance doesn't cover it and talk to my doctor about my needs.

Not be discharged against my will except for medical reasons, for my own welfare or the welfare of other patients, or for non-payment.

File a complaint or grievance, and refer to Medicare's Conditions for Coverage, section 405.2138.

Transfer to another clinic.

Talk to my clinic, doctor, insurance company, or social worker about my other options.

Be treated with consideration and respect.

Treat the clinic staff with respect, and respect the privacy and rights of others.

Receive medical care without discrimination.

File a compliant or grievance.

Medical privacy.

Ask for my medical records if I need them, keep my records private, and know my rights.