If you think your healthcare provider has acted wrongly, there are ways to report a doctor for unprofessional behavior.
When your healthcare provider is to blame for something wrong that happened to you, there are avenues you can take to file a complaint. This article walks you through the process, from figuring out whom to speak with to how to report a doctor or other healthcare provider for unprofessional or unethical behavior.
Where to Lodge a Complaint
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The first step is to assess who you should complain to. In some instances, you cancomplain directly to your healthcare provider. Other times, you may need to talk to the hospital administrator or the state licensing board. It depends on the problem and how convinced you are that it was intentional.
Talk to your or another healthcare provider in the following situations:
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Lodge a formal complaint if any of the following situations apply to you:
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How to Lodge a ComplaintKlaus Vedfelt /Getty ImagesTo file a formal complaint against your healthcare provider for unprofessional behavior,contact your state medical board.Many government and institutional authorities allow you to file a complaint directly on their websites. For others, you may need to write a letter to send in the mail. In either case, there are guidelines you should follow to improve your chances of getting a reply:Keep your letter concise.The content should be no more than a few paragraphs, written in short sentences on a single page. Be specific about your complaints. If possible, use a bulleted list to make your points.Remain objective.Tell what happened as simply as possible rather than describing how you felt. The point is to highlight the inappropriate behavior, not your response to it.State what action you would like to be taken.If you are reasonable in your expectations, then your complaint is more likely to be taken seriously. For example, if your healthcare provider overbilled you, then suggesting that the healthcare provider should be in jail can make you seem unreasonable. If you ask for a refund, you are likely to receive it. Leave the legalities to the authorities.Get help if you are unable to express yourself.If you have trouble communicating what happened or what you want, ask a family member to help or consider hiring a patient advocate experienced in these matters.Finally, don’t go in assuming that your efforts will be for naught.According to the Department of Health and Human ServicesOffice for Civil Rights, of the 356,287 HIPAA complaints received, 99% were investigated and resolved.If your complaint is appropriate and properly directed, the chances are good that it will be heard.
How to Lodge a Complaint
Klaus Vedfelt /Getty Images
To file a formal complaint against your healthcare provider for unprofessional behavior,contact your state medical board.
Many government and institutional authorities allow you to file a complaint directly on their websites. For others, you may need to write a letter to send in the mail. In either case, there are guidelines you should follow to improve your chances of getting a reply:
Remain objective.Tell what happened as simply as possible rather than describing how you felt. The point is to highlight the inappropriate behavior, not your response to it.
Finally, don’t go in assuming that your efforts will be for naught.
According to the Department of Health and Human ServicesOffice for Civil Rights, of the 356,287 HIPAA complaints received, 99% were investigated and resolved.
If your complaint is appropriate and properly directed, the chances are good that it will be heard.
What Happens After You File a Complaint?Hospitals, practice managers, government offices, and state medical boards investigate and record complaints, even those that are not deemed actionable. These agencies know that not all complaints are fair to healthcare providers.However, when multiple complaints are received and a pattern of behavior is established, serious action against the healthcare provider will be taken. The healthcare provider’s ability to practice can be interrupted temporarily or permanently if necessary.A medical malpractice attorney can help you determine whether starting a medical malpractice lawsuit makes sense. A lawsuit can help you recover losses resulting from the incident.Defining Medical Malpractice: How to Take Legal Action
What Happens After You File a Complaint?
Hospitals, practice managers, government offices, and state medical boards investigate and record complaints, even those that are not deemed actionable. These agencies know that not all complaints are fair to healthcare providers.
However, when multiple complaints are received and a pattern of behavior is established, serious action against the healthcare provider will be taken. The healthcare provider’s ability to practice can be interrupted temporarily or permanently if necessary.
A medical malpractice attorney can help you determine whether starting a medical malpractice lawsuit makes sense. A lawsuit can help you recover losses resulting from the incident.
Defining Medical Malpractice: How to Take Legal Action
SummaryYou may not always get the satisfaction you want when you report a doctor for unprofessional behavior. But that does not mean that you shouldn’t act.Talk to your healthcare provider directly to provide feedback on how your care can be improved. Take more serious complaints to another healthcare provider, the hospital administrator, the state medical board, or a government authority.By evidencing inappropriate, illegal, or harmful behavior, you can help protect others from experiencing the same problem you experienced.
Summary
You may not always get the satisfaction you want when you report a doctor for unprofessional behavior. But that does not mean that you shouldn’t act.
Talk to your healthcare provider directly to provide feedback on how your care can be improved. Take more serious complaints to another healthcare provider, the hospital administrator, the state medical board, or a government authority.
By evidencing inappropriate, illegal, or harmful behavior, you can help protect others from experiencing the same problem you experienced.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Department of Health and Human Services.How to file a civil rights complaint.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.How to appeal an insurance company decision.Patient Advocate Foundation.A patient’s guide to navigating the insurance appeals process.Medicare.Filing complaints about a doctor, hospital, or provider.Federation of State Medical Boards.Addressing sexual boundaries: guidelines for state medical boards.Additional ReadingDepartment of Health & Human Services.Enforcement Highlights.
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Department of Health and Human Services.How to file a civil rights complaint.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.How to appeal an insurance company decision.Patient Advocate Foundation.A patient’s guide to navigating the insurance appeals process.Medicare.Filing complaints about a doctor, hospital, or provider.Federation of State Medical Boards.Addressing sexual boundaries: guidelines for state medical boards.Additional ReadingDepartment of Health & Human Services.Enforcement Highlights.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Department of Health and Human Services.How to file a civil rights complaint.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.How to appeal an insurance company decision.Patient Advocate Foundation.A patient’s guide to navigating the insurance appeals process.Medicare.Filing complaints about a doctor, hospital, or provider.Federation of State Medical Boards.Addressing sexual boundaries: guidelines for state medical boards.
Department of Health and Human Services.How to file a civil rights complaint.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.How to appeal an insurance company decision.
Patient Advocate Foundation.A patient’s guide to navigating the insurance appeals process.
Medicare.Filing complaints about a doctor, hospital, or provider.
Federation of State Medical Boards.Addressing sexual boundaries: guidelines for state medical boards.
Department of Health & Human Services.Enforcement Highlights.
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