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) 236-2620. 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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