4 steps to submit your complaint
The GP makes mistakes, the cardiologist does not tell you anything about the side effects of a medicine, the pharmacist gives pills in the wrong dosage. These can all be reasons to make a complaint. But where do you start?
Since 2016, submitting a complaint about a healthcare provider has been regulated in the Healthcare Quality, Complaints and Disputes Act (Wkkgz). The law states that every healthcare provider is obliged to have a complaints officer. This does not only apply to hospitals and healthcare institutions, but also to independent professionals such as the doctor, dietician, district nurse and physiotherapist. The complaints officer is a neutral third person, a listening ear. He or she will provide you with information and can advise you on the path you can take to find a solution.
Step 1: Raise it
If a patient is dissatisfied with the care provided, the first step is to contact the healthcare provider. Tell why you are dissatisfied. Often a conversation can resolve the complaint. Prepare the conversation in advance and write down questions. In a conversation you can ask the healthcare provider for an explanation. The healthcare provider can then tell his side of the story. Together you can look for a solution.
Sometimes something happened that caused emotions to run high. If you think that a conversation is not possible, you can also write a letter to the healthcare provider. Then try to actually describe what happened and what consequences it had. Also state in the letter what you want to achieve. Are you worried it will happen again? Or do you want an apology from the healthcare provider?
Step 2: Call in the complaints officer
Are you unable to reach an agreement with the healthcare provider or do you find it difficult to start the conversation directly? Then you can engage the complaints officer. The website of the healthcare institution, doctor or practitioner often lists the telephone number and e-mail address of the complaints officer. You can contact the complaints officer with various complaints. For example, if you feel that something has gone wrong during a treatment or examination. Or if you feel that you have not received enough information. You may also feel that a doctor is not taking you seriously. Or that you had to wait way too long for an appointment. You can also discuss complaints about food, cleaning or a bill from the hospital. Depending on the nature of the complaint, the complaints officer will look at how he or she can help you. Incidentally, everything you discuss with the complaints officer is confidential. So you don’t have to worry that what you say will be discussed elsewhere. The complaint will only be processed if you give permission for this.
Step 3: Let yourself be assisted
Some complaints about a doctor or other healthcare provider can be emotionally charged. You may even have suffered damage, physically or psychologically. You may wonder why a doctor did or failed to do something. The complaints officer is not a physician and cannot answer these questions. You may therefore be asked to talk to the complaints officer together with the doctor or care provider about whom you have a complaint. In the experience of the Association of Complaints Officers in Healthcare (VKIG), the doctor or care provider often enjoys such a joint discussion. Care institutions see a complaint as an instrument that helps them to improve the quality of care. Most complaints are resolved satisfactorily after such a meeting.
Step 4: Look higher up
Did the route you followed not lead to a solution that you agree with? Then you can also submit your complaint outside the healthcare institution. For example, at the Disputes Committee, the Health Care Inspectorate or one of the five regional health care disciplinary committees. The complaints officer is impartial and cannot personally assist you in this process. However, the complaints officer can explain how such a procedure works, what rules and conditions there are for engaging these bodies, and what you can expect. Then you can take action yourself. A family member can help with this. For example, you can also engage a legal assistance insurer or lawyer.
Thanks to Madelon Hengeveld (complaints officer at Alrijne Zorggroep in Leiden and board member of the Association of Complaints Officers in Healthcare).
