California Elder Law Attorney Blog

With hospitals and nursing homes tending to thousands of patients every year, accidents can -- and do -- happen. These incidents, whether through carelessness or otherwise, can leave patients feeling powerless. That's not the case.

"There is growing public awareness, people are feeling more empowered, and they have tools at their disposal to make a complaint," said Ralph Montano, spokesman for the California Department of Public Health, which regulates hospitals and long-term care facilities in the state.
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That department received more than 6,000 complaints about hospitals in 2007, the most recent year for which statistics are available. The complaints can be about mixed-up lab results, medication errors, foreign objects left in a patient during surgery or a host of other topics.

Similarly, the California Department of Aging received 43,000 nursing home complaints in 2009. Some alleged patient abuse or neglect; others reported missing items. And some commented on the quality of the food.

But finding the channels through which to lodge a complaint can be tedious and time consuming. Many consumers simply don't bother, and some become lost in the system. Whether the complaint is against a hospital or a long-term care facility, the process is similar -- and many people can help, including the facility's staff, insurance company representatives and state regulators.

Here's how to complain.

In-house

Most patient advocates recommend first talking with providers within the hospitals and nursing homes. Many organizations prefer to resolve problems at the point of care.

If you want to make a complaint while in the hospital, Patti Harvey, vice president of quality and patient care services for Kaiser Permanente in Southern California, recommends talking with the bedside nurse at a facility.

If that doesn't work, you can talk with other people higher in the chain of command, up to the hospital administrator.

If the problem still isn't taken care of -- say you disagree with your treatment plan or have a problem with your doctor -- member service offices at each hospital can help address your concerns.

UCLA Health System hospitals have similar offices to resolve complaints or grievances, said Virgie Mosley, manager of patient affairs for the health system. When you or a family member contacts the patient affairs office, the chair of the clinical team responsible for that unit reviews your records. The hospital will then provide a written response to you or schedule a conference.