To file a complaint, click
here for the complaint form. Please provide as much information as
possible to assist in the successful resolution of your complaint. You can view
the laws and rules at the home page of the board or program you intend to file
your complaint with. If you have any questions about filing your complaint,
please call 360.236.4700. You can also print the form, complete and send to:
Complaint Intake, PO Box 47857, Olympia WA, 98504-7857.
Who can I
file a complaint against?
Please see the list of health professions regulated by our
department.
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What details should I put in the complaint?
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Dates of client-patient relationship: List the date
the client-patient relationship began and the date that it ended.
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Dates of incidents: List each date on which the
incident occurred.
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Details of Complaint: Describe your complaint,
including the reasons for your complaint. Specify dates, places, times,
and any other information you feel is important. It is okay if you do
not have specifics but please give as much information as you can. It is
helpful if you can note how you are able to recall the date or day of
the week. Please identify any witnesses or observers to the incident
described. If possible, include the name, address and phone number of
each witness or observer. You may attach more pages if necessary. Please
number and initial all pages of your complaint in the lower right hand
corner.
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Your contact information.
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Who are the
decision makers?
The legislature authorizes the Secretary of the Department
of Health (DOH) and 14 boards and commissions to discipline health care
providers that violate the law. The boards work with DOH to develop processes
for receiving, investigating and determining appropriate discipline for
violations. Action can only be taken against providers that are required to be
licensed, certified or registered with the department.
What is the process?
When we receive a complaint regarding a health care
provider, we review it to decide if the incident or event is a violation of the
law and if we have legal authority to take action. If these two conditions are
not met, the file is closed below threshold. Below threshold means the complaint
did not meet the legal requirements for us to investigate. If we determine the
allegation might be a violation, and there is legal authority to take action, we
conduct an investigation.
We manage each case throughout the disciplinary process. We
work with investigators, staff attorneys, and the Office of the Attorney General
to identify violations and evaluate evidence. If the evidence does not support
the complaint then the complaint is closed. If violations are found, the case is
presented to a panel of members from the department or board or commission for
approval to take action.
Procedures for the complaint and disciplinary process are
described in the Administrative Procedure Act under
Title 34 RCW.
The disciplinary actions the may be taken against a health
care provider are described in the Uniform Disciplinary Act under
RCW 18.130.160.
Actions include but are not limited to fines, counseling, re-training, practice
limitations, or suspension from practice. Both the department and the boards and
commissions are responsible to ensure the public is protected and to
rehabilitate the provider.
Disciplinary files are public records. However, public record law provides that
some records will not be released. For example, medical records and the names of
patients will be removed before other documents are released.
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What do I need to know if I am thinking about submitting a complaint?
Our state has some of the finest health care providers in
the United States. However, if you believe that the actions of a provider were
inappropriate or may have caused mental or physical harm to you or someone else,
you should consider filing a complaint.
Our mission is to protect the people of Washington.
Although we have the responsibility to take corrective action against a health
care provider, it is outside our authority to impose criminal or civil
penalties. Our disciplinary actions focus on preventing further problems with a
provider and assuring safe, competent care for the patients. By reporting
potential violations you can play an important role in protecting the people of
Washington.
Remember that many common complaints such as scheduling
problems, personality conflicts or disputes over bills or insurance are usually
not within our legal authority. We only investigate reports involving fees or
insurance claims if there appears to be fraud involved.
If you are a credentialed health care provider, it is
important for you to know that some regulated health professionals are required
by law to report information that another health care provider may be
incompetent, guilty of unprofessional conduct or impaired and unable to practice
safely. In circumstances such as this, the department and boards and commissions
may take disciplinary action against a health care provider for failing to
report any potential violation of the laws that govern the profession.
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What is a violation?
Violations of law fall into the following three categories.
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Mental or Physical Condition: This condition
involves the mental or physical inability of a health care provider to
practice with reasonable skill and safety. (RCW
18.130.170).
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Unprofessional Conduct: This is a term used to
describe conduct, acts or conditions that are considered by law to be
unprofessional in this state. (RCW
18.130.180).
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Unlicensed Practice: This category applies to any
circumstance involving a person or facility that practices health care
but doesn?t have a valid Washington credential. (RCW
18.130.190)
If you have specific questions about your complaint,
please
contact us.
Other
Frequently Asked Questions
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