Ep. 18: How to File a Complaint

Links:
OB violence map: here

Irthapp.com

https://www.jointcommission.org/resources/patient-safety-topics/report-a-patient-safety-concern-or-complaint/

ANA code of ethics: https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/nursing-excellence/ethics/code-of-ethics-for-nurses/coe-view-only/

OSHA complaint: https://www.nursingworld.org/~49c45e/globalassets/practiceandpolicy/work-environment/health--safety/osha-complaint-fact-sheet-20190530.pdf

Medical board by state:  https://birthmonopoly.com/find-your-state-board/

Birthxapp.com : BirthX is a crowd-sourced review platform to read and write reviews on your childbirth experience with your healthcare provider.

Steps to report: https://birthmonopoly.com/how-to-file-a-complaint-for-mistreatment-in-birth-or-obstetric-violence/

 

How to file a complaint as a consumer: 

1. Write down your story as soon as possible— a stream of consciousness— if you can record it on video or voice recording is even better as it capture the true thoughts without the hindrance of having to write it down

• Think about the scope of the complaint—was this an ongoing issue or a one time offense?
• Was it an overall safety concern or one incident/person?
• Is this a system issue or specific to your situation?
• Provide them with feedback as to how they can improve to avoid this in the future.

Research your hospital's process for reporting complaints. There is usually a “patient advocacy’ or ‘patient relations’ department that handles all complaints. Making sure your complaint gets into the right hands is crucial. If it lands in the wrong inbox, there will be no forward progress because they won’t be able to do anything about it. DO NOT FILE YET! Obtain your medical records and operative reports Report to your states medical board: https://www.fsmb.org/contact-a-state-medical-board/ File a report with the Joint Commission (manage patient safety concerns): https://apps.jointcommission.org/QMSInternet/IncidentEntry.aspx?_ga=2.33659361.1333699656.1546967936-996439568.1546967936

• If you need to edit your complaint, do so here: https://apps.jointcommission.org/QMSInternet/IncidentUpdate.aspx?_ga=2.33659361.1333699656.1546967936-996439568.1546967936
• Their priority is patient safety so coercive care, abusive providers, and failure to gain consent is very important to them and will be investigated. 

Visit https://mypatientrights.org/file-a-complaint/ and file a complaint If you are a POC and/or your provider is a person of color, visit BirthXapp.com and file a complaint If this was a OBGYN or midwife (reproductive health providers), report to the Birth Monopoly Map: https://birthmonopoly.com/obstetric-violence/ File with your state’s health dept—it’ll vary state by state Now file with your hospital 

 

Steps to file a complaint as a healthcare employee:

1. Always be working on your “other options” so you never feel stuck or required to stay in a certain job
2. Know your responsibility within your license to report unsafe behavior or abusive employees
3. Write your story ASAP, because trauma can affect your memory of it. Don’t tie identifying patient info to the story. This quick story could be emailed to your superior, if appropriate, as a placeholder for a discussion about it in the future. 
4. Report to your employer if appropriate, they may ask for identifying pt info. These are often not anonymous.
5. Report to the state board (state board of medicine or nursing), if appropriate, they may ask for identifying pt info, too
6. You may want to report to the state Department of Health. They receive complaints of healthcare practitioners who may have violated a regulation or law, and complaints can often be anonymous, also.
7. When safety and health standards are violated, you may consider exercising your right to file a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) within the U.S. Department of Labor. If it’s not safe to do your job, it’s impossible to provide high-quality healthcare.
8. The Joint Commission - you may file a complaint here if it involves a patient safety concern or event. You may file anonymously here if you wish.
9. Go public with that shit! - Just keep off the patient identifying info (and provider identifying if you’ll be connected with the report and still employed at that same location. See next step). Options for perinatal healthcare: birthxapp, irth app, birth monopoly obstetric violence map.