FILING HOSPITAL COMPLAINTS - QUALITY OF CARE ISSUES There are many variables when it comes to pursuing hospital complaints. Therefore, you should select the approach that you believe best fits your particular situation.           I. Start directly with the hospital     a.   Step 1. Speak to the nurse manager (if a patient care unit complaint); the emergency room supervisor (if an emergency room complaint); or the hospital employee who handles over-all hospital complaints (often called a "patient representative"). Request a prompt investigation and a prompt response back as to findings and action taken.               b.   Step 2. If you get no prompt resolution from Step 1, consider speaking to the nursing supervisor of the patient care unit, or to the office of the "vice president of nursing" (if you have a patient care unit complaint). If it is a major quality of care issue that could involve possible legal action, consider asking to speak to the hospital's "risk manager". Every hospital has a risk manager. For other quality of care complaints, consider asking to speak to the office of the hospital's "chief operating officer". Request a prompt investigation and a prompt response back as to findings and action taken.               c.   Step 3. If you get no prompt resolution from either Step 1 or Step 2, consider speaking to the office of the hospital's "president and chief executive officer". Express your complaint and frustration with the lack of responsiveness in Steps 1 and 2, and request a prompt investigation and a prompt response back as to findings and action taken.                 II. If you get no resolution by filing your quality of care complaint directly with the hospital, then you should consider filing your complaint with one or more of the following organizations.     a.   State Agency - Every state has a state agency that handles hospital complaints. We have listed for your information the telephone numbers for every state agency in the United States that handles hospital complaints (see "Filing Hospital Complaints - State Agencies" on our website).               b.   Medicare Complaint Program - The federal government requires every state to establish a "Quality Improvement Organization" (QIO). Its responsibilities include providing a process to address quality of care complaints that are filed by Medicare beneficiaries or their family caregivers (see "Filing Hospital Complaints - Medicare Complaint Program", which lists every state's Quality Improvement Organization, and the telephone number for each).           c.   The Joint Commission - We encourage patients to share their quality of care complaints with The Joint Commission, which is the national accrediting organization for practically all hospitals in the country. The Joint Commission reviews all quality of care complaints submitted to it (NOT billing complaints). All complaints are also recorded in The Joint Commission's data base. The Joint Commission responds to all individuals who file complaints, although it may take up to several weeks to do so. (see "Filing Hospital Complaints - The Joint Commission" on our website for the e-mail address and other contact information)               d.   Corporate Headquarters - Over 50% of local hospitals in the United States are owned or managed by a larger hospital corporation, often known as a "hospital system". Most patients are unaware of this relationship. You are entitled to know if your hospital is owned or managed by a hospital system, and if so, the name and address of the corporate headquarters. You may wish to consider contacting the corporate headquarters - explain your frustration with the lack of responsiveness at the local level, and request a prompt investigation of your complaint, and a prompt response back as to findings and action taken.               e.   News Media - Some cities have radio and/or television stations that sponsor special programs that investigate complaints that are submitted by local residents. These programs can be helpful in resolving hospital complaints. In addition, we are aware of instances in which a thoughtful, well written "letter to the editor" to the local newspaper has achieved positive results in resolving hospital complaints.             NOTE: Because of the nature of hospital complaints, hospitalcomplaint.com cannot guarantee to anyone a positive outcome by using the information provided on our website (see "Agreement").