Purpose of Guidelines

The HCAOA has developed these ethical guidelines to assist its members in establishing and maintaining their organization's professionalism. 

Inherent in the development of these guidelines is the knowledge that clients have a right to expect that home care providers will deliver quality services in an honest and ethical manner.

Core Values

HCAOA Members have adopted and agree to subscribe to the following core values as they relate to serving customers and employing care providers:
   - Compassion
   - Sensitivity to client needs
   - Competency
   - Coordination and collaboration
   - Safety
   - Respect for client dignity and choice
   - Integrity and regard for client privacy and confidentiality

Client Rights and Responsibilities

Member agencies have the responsibility to develop, adopt and observe client rights and responsibilities in a manner neccesary to contribute to lawful and effective client care.  These rights and responsibilities should be relevant to the level of services provided by the agency.  The rights should be respected and observed by all home care personnel and integrated into all provider programs.  Members have the responsibility to affirm and uphold the worth and dignity of the client and to report suspected abuse as may be required by applicable laws.

Relationship to Other Provider Agencies

The principle objective of home care agencies is to provide quality individualized services to clients and their families.

Member agencies are committed to working together with other health care providers, professionals and facilities in an effort to provide quality care.

Responsibility to HCAOA

Members will commit to abide by all applicable federal and state laws, rules, regulations, professional codes, standards and guidelines.

Members should participate and contribute knowledge, experience and talents to HCAOA in order to foster a dynamic, progressive organization that benefits all members professionally and advances the cause of home and community-based services.

Fiscal Responsibilities

Members agree to provide goods and services for an agreed upon bill rate.  A member's billing and other business practices will comply with applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations.  All members will maintain a procedure for addressing discontinuation of service and incorrect billing of services.

Marketing and Public Relations

Written statements to the public, clients and other health care providers shall be honest and accurate in representing services, benefits, cost and provider capabilities.  Members and their employees shall not unlawfully solicit, receive, offer, pay or give anything of value to others in return for referring, recommending or arranging for any individual to become a client of the agency.

Personnel

Members subscribe to treating employees with respect and dignity.  They will foster an atmosphere free from intimidation, abuse and harassment.  Members adhere to state and federal guidelines in their employment practices, such as:  withholding appropriate taxes, providing workers' compensation, verfying references and performing criminal background checks.

Members will comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations concerning personnel matters, including but not limited to employment, wage and hour, leave and anti-discriminations matters.  Members will have written personnel policies available to all employees.  Members will also provide ongoing supervision, support and evaluation of all employees.

Review

The Ethical Guidelines shall be reviewed as needed upon direction of the HCAOA Board of Directors.

Approval

These Ethical Guidelines wer approved by the HCAOA Board of Directors on March 17, 2004.

These guidelines are not considered to be comprehensive or exhaustive.  Under no circumstances should any guideline be interpreted or construed as establishing a minimum standard of any obligation of an agency, its employees or agents, to another person(s).  Nor is it the intent of the HCAOA, or its members in adopting these guidelines to create any enforceable rights, contractual or otherwise, in any person.