In our last post, we looked briefly at the complaint process overseen by the Pennsylvania Department of State for medical board discipline of physicians. We briefly mentioned the various aspects of the complaint itself, which include basic information about the parties involved, the facts, witnesses, and any available related documents.
One of the aspects of the complaint form we have not yet mentioned is the desired resolution. Picking back up on the point we’ve mentioned in previous posts, pursuing a complaint against a negligent physician can be an important way to see to it that a case is resolved in a way that makes sense to the patient. Taking the time to file a well thought out complaint is, therefore, important. Resolution can include action to be taken not only by the physician, but also by the facility where the negligence or other wrongdoing occurred.
A parallel complaint process for medical facilities. For this process, patients are directed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, first of all, to keep complete records of communications with the health care facility to ensure the medical board has all the information necessary to address the complaint.
Records are supposed to include dates of contact, what party sent the communication, and where the party may be reached. Concerns shared with the medical board are supposed to be detailed and should include the patient’s requests for having the situation resolved. Complaints may be filed confidentially to protect the identity of the complainant.
Again, an attorney isn’t necessary to file a complaint against either a physician or a medical facility, but it can certainly help ensure that a patient is thorough in the filing and help bring about a better overall resolution to the case, whether or not medical malpractice litigation is pursued.