Code of Ethics 
PREAMBLE
The Iowa Alliance in Home Care (IAHC) was founded with the intention of encouraging the development and promotion of high quality, coordinated home care services for the citizens of Iowa.
In the process of providing these essential services, the Alliance and its members seek to establish and retain the highest possible level of public confidence.
The Code of Ethics, adopted by the IAHC Board of Directors, serves as a statement to the general public that the Alliance and its individual members stand for integrity and the highest ethical standards.
This Code of Ethics serves to inform members and the general public as to what are acceptable guidelines for ethical conduct for home care agencies and their employees.
It is inherent in the promulgation of this Code of Ethics that the Alliance and its members covenant to protect and preserve the basic rights of their clients and to deal with them in an honest and ethical manner.
Finally, the Code of Ethics serves as notice to government officials that the Alliance expects its members to abide by all applicable laws and regulations. It is a precondition of membership in the Alliance that they do so and that failure to comply will result in expulsion from membership in the Alliance in addition to other penalties prescribed by law.
The Code of Ethics is intended to serve as a guideline to agencies in the following areas:
A. Client Rights and Responsibilities
B. Relationships to other Provider Agencies
C. Responsibility to the Iowa Alliance in Home Care
D. Fiscal Responsibilities
E. Marketing and Public Relations
F. Quality Assurance
G. Personnel
H. Violations and Hearing Process
A. CLIENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
It is anticipated that observance of these rights and responsibilities will contribute to more effective client care and greater satisfaction for the client as well as the agency. The rights will be respected by all agency personnel and integrated into all Home Care Agency programs.
1. The client is fully informed of all his/her rights and responsibilities.
2. When appropriate, the client has the right to professional and appropriate care relating to physician orders.
3. The client has the right of choice of care providers.
4. The client has the right of respect to self and property.
5. The client has the right to privacy and confidentiality.
6. The client has the right to receive information necessary to give informed consent prior to the start of any procedure or treatment.
7. The client has the right to refuse treatment within the confines of the law and to be informed of the consequences of his/her actions.
8. The client has the right to receive a timely response from the agency to his/her request for service.
9. A client will be admitted for service if the agency has the ability to provide safe professional care at the level of intensity and clinical competency needed. The client has the right to reasonable continuity of care.
10. The client has the right to be informed within reasonable time of anticipated termination of service or plans for transfer to another agency.
11. The client has the right to be informed of the procedure to voice grievances and suggest changes in service of staff without fear of recrimination. A fair hearing shall be available to any individual to whom service has been denied or reduced or terminated or who is otherwise aggrieved by agency action. The fair hearing procedure shall be set forth by each agency as appropriate to the unique client situation (e. g., funding source, level of care, diagnosis).
12. The client has the right to be fully informed of the agency’s policies, availability, and charges for services, including eligibility for third party reimbursement.
13. A client denied service solely on his/her inability to pay shall have the right of referral.
14. The client and the public have the right to honest, accurate, forthright information regarding the home care industry in general and his/her chosen agency in particular, e.g., cost/visit, employee qualifications, etc.
B . RELATIONS TO OTHER PROVIDER AGENCIES
1. Home Care Agencies shall honestly and conscientiously cooperate with other provider agencies to best serve the clients.
2. Members shall engage in ethical conduct of their affairs so that the client has freedom of choice.
C. RESPONSIBILITY TO THE IOWA ALLIANCE IN HOME CARE
1. The Mission Statement, By-Laws and Policies of the IAHC reflect mutual cooperation among members in attaining goals that assure quality care for the client and family. The members of IAHC shall abide by those By-Laws and Policies.
Adjudication or arbitration procedures of the Alliance shall be used to resolve ethical complaints between members.
2. Members shall promptly and accurately pay all dues owed for membership, and shall participate and contribute talent to foster a dynamic, progressive organization from which all members can benefit professionally.
D. FISCAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Agencies will perform in an ethical manner and be fiscally responsible to clients, third party payors and the Alliance.
E. MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
In representing Home Care to the public, agencies shall present facts honestly and accurately and consider both general as well as agency specific information.
F. QUALITY ASSURANCE
In an effort to provide high quality health services, Home Care Agencies will have a quality assurance plan in place.
G. PERSONNEL
Home Care Agencies shall be equal opportunity employers and comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations.
H. VIOLATIONS
Members who have been determined to have violated the Code of Ethics may be subject to disciplinary action, suspension and/or expulsion from the Iowa Alliance in Home Care.
Hearing Process:
In the event of an apparent breach of conduct reflected in this Code of Ethics or any dispute arising out of allegations of misconduct, redress will be provided in the form of a hearing before an Ethics Committee composed of at least three disinterested parties, the majority of whom will be representatives of agency members of IAHC in good standing who represent the same auspice or discipline.
The Committee shall be appointed by the President of the Board and approved by the Board of Directors to hear specific disputes. The Committee shall be noncontinuous, dissolving at the conclusion of its appointed task.
The Committee shall be bound by all the common requirements of due process including but not limited to giving the accused a statement of the charges against him or her, an opportunity to appear on his/her own behalf, proper notice of the time and place for any hearing to be conducted by the Committee, the right to suggest witnesses to be heard by the Committee and the right to representation by counsel with the understanding that counsel may appear to advise his/her client but may not actually testify on behalf of his/her client.
The Committee may require the testimony of individuals under oath administered by a duly qualified notary public. However, if the Committee elects to proceed in this manner, the entire proceeding must be transcribed and retained in the files of the Alliance.
The Committee, by majority vote, may recommend to the Board of Directors disciplinary action, suspension or expulsion of a member from the Iowa Alliance in Home Care. The Board of Directors shall have the final determination on recommendations from the Ethics Committee.
Revised 1/93
Approved by the Board of Directors 4/93