(Snippets from the frontline)
Lodging a hospital complaint
If you don’t like food at a restaurant, you don’t go back. If your car is still spewing smoke, you find another mechanic. If you are hospitalized and the care is poor, where do you complain?
You can move up the ladder of authority but I assure you, complaints might be heard, but rarely acted upon. How do I know?
Patients and families bring me unanswered grievances, yet my own physician criticism about hospital services remain unaddressed. I know how to climb the rungs of the complaint ladder serving over 30 years as hospital staff member, with 3 years experience as Chairman of the Department of Medicine.
For the last decade though, hospital willingness to address patient and doctor complaints has diminished. Why? Because they don’t have to.
Oversight agencies are powerless. Try complaining to The Joint Commission or local health departments.
The only way you are heard is by suing the hospital, who has assembled their defense team and are waiting for you.
So when you are discharged and still spewing smoke, find a good attorney.
Gene Uzawa Dorio, M.D.
With all respect Gene I find this an ill advice, It encourages Adversarial relationship between the patient and hospital which inevitably involves the treating physicians and staff as well .no attorney limit himself to suing the hospital Alone, the doctors Would be involved .
We live in a society which is Litigation mined as it is there is no need for further encouragment.