What details should I put in
the complaint?
What is the process?
What do I need to know if I
am thinking about submitting a complaint?
What is a violation?
Other frequently asked
questions.
How do I file a
complaint?
To file a complaint, click
here
for the complaint form or call the toll free number, 1-800-633-6828. Please
provide as much information as possible to help resolve your complaint. If
you have any questions about filing your complaint, please call (360)
236-2620. You can also print the form, complete and send to Complaint
Intake, PO Box 47857, Olympia WA, 98504-7857.
Who can file a complaint?
Anyone with knowledge about an
incident or event that happened in one of the facilities listed below.
When should I file a
complaint?
It is best to contact us as soon
as possible after the incident or event occurred. This allows us to retrieve
and review records and documents easily. You are also most likely to
remember important facts and circumstances soon after the incident and less
likely to forget details.
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Who can I file a
complaint against?
Any of the facilities and
agencies licensed and inspected by the Department of Health:
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Clinical Laboratories?Medical Test Sites
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Temporary Worker
Housing/Migrant Farmworker Housing
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Department of Corrections
Prisons
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Residential Treatment
Facilities
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Rural Health Clinics
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Eastern/Western State
Mental Hospitals
-
State Schools for Hearing
& Visually Impaired
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What details
should I put in the complaint?
-
Your
name and how to contact you (phone number, mailing address, e-mail
address). You can request to remain anonymous. We request this
information so we can contact you if we need more information.
-
Where
the incident happened: the type and name of the facility, where in the
facility the incident happened (room number, unit, service area).
-
The
date the incident happened and names of staff or other people involved
in the incident or who saw or heard the incident.
-
Details
about the incident. Include the reasons for your complaint and what you
want the department to do about your complaint. Be specific about what
happened to you, what you saw or heard, the time or part of the day
(morning, afternoon, evening, night) and other information you feel is
important. Give as much information as you can. If possible, include the
name, address and phone number of each person who saw or heard the
incident. You may attach more pages if necessary.
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What is the process?
When we receive a complaint
about a health care facility, we review it to decide if the incident or
event is a violation of a law or rule. Next we determine if we have legal
authority to investigate the health care facility. When these two conditions
are met, we open a complaint file, notify the complainant and conduct an
investigation. If these two conditions are not met, we close the incident or
event ?below threshold?. This means the complaint did not meet the legal
requirements for us to investigate.
Most investigations consist of
going to the health care facility, reviewing patient records, reading and
reviewing the facility?s policies and procedures, reading and reviewing any
facility documents related to the incident, interview staff and depending on
the incident observing staff delivering care. We collect all the appropriate
information, including notes made during the visit and write a report of our
findings. When we identify violations of law or rule we consult with
management, staff attorneys and health facility program experts on the best
approach to resolve the violations. Once we reach a decision on how to
resolve the violations, the facility is informed. We also send the
complainant a letter explaining what our investigation found and what
actions we took to resolve any violations.
What do I need to know if
I am thinking about submitting a complaint?
Our mission is to protect the
people of Washington. Although we are responsible to take corrective action
against a health care facility that violates a law or rule we enforce, we do
not impose criminal or civil penalties. Such actions are outside our
authority. Our focus is to assure safe, competent care for all patients and
prevent further problems from happening. When someone makes a complaint
about a potential violation, they help us protect the people of Washington.
What is a violation?
To operate and provide care to
people in Washington, health care facilities must comply with state
licensing laws and rules and in some cases Federal Medicare rules. A
violation is whenever a facility does not meet one of the laws or rules.
Other frequently asked
questions.
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