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If You Have a Complaint...Summary of Complaint Process
The uniform format of the report card calls for a description of the hospital complaint process, including how to register a complaint. Any patient or family member may express a complaint by speaking with any member of the NMC staff or by writing to NMC’s Chief Executive Officer or any member of the NMC staff. (Unless specifically requested, a patient issue is not a complaint if the patient issue can be resolved promptly, on the spot by staff present.) All complaints will be thoroughly investigated without compromising a patient’s future access to care. The complainant will receive a written acknowledgement of the receipt of their complaint within 3 days and a written response of the completion or status of the matter within 30 days.
When a complaint has been received at NMC, the complaint recipient will complete a complaint form to begin the process of complaint resolution. The complaint form and any accompanying documentation (written letter, etc.) will be forwarded to the appropriate department manager or a member of the Leadership Team.
Once received by a department manager or Leadership Team member, the complaint is reviewed to determine if the complaint is regarding a specific physician. If so, the complaint is forwarded to the Process Improvement Specialist, who ensures that the appropriate Medical Staff committee investigates the complaint.
If the complaint does not involve a physician, the department manager or Leadership Team member completes the investigation and determines an appropriate resolution. Within 30 days of receipt, the complainant will receive a status update or a resolution of their complaint in writing. This written documentation is also forwarded to the Process Improvement Specialist.
The Process Improvement Specialist tracks all complaints (physician-related and other) by classification type to determine if a process review is necessary, either because of the nature of the complaint, or if a trend has emerged. The classification type is determined by using a modification of the “Picker Dimensions of Quality”. If necessary, formal process review will be initiated by the Director of Process Improvement.
The Process Improvement Specialist submits a monthly report to the hospital’s Board of Directors Quality Assurance Committee, which reviews all complaints and their resolutions.
Patient Complaint Contact Information:
For more information on the Patient Complaint Process, please contact:
Peter Hofstetter
Chief Executive Officer
NMC, PO Box 1370, St. Albans, VT 05478
Telephone: (802) 524-1041
Fax: (802) 524-1088
phofstetter@nmcinc.org
Additional Complaint Contact Information:
For individuals who wish to express a complaint regarding Northwestern Medical Center to someone outside Northwestern Medical Center, that individual should contact:
Vermont Board of Health
c/o The Vermont Department of Health
108 Cherry Street, PO Box 70, Burlington, VT 05402
1-800-464-4343
Or
Division of Licensing and Protection
Ladd Hall, 103 South Main Street, Waterbury, VT 054671
1-800-564-1612 or (802) 241-2345
Or
Vermont Board of Medical Practice
108 Cherry Street, PO Box 70, Burlington, VT 05402
1-800-745-7371
Or
Office of Quality Monitoring
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
1-800-994-6610
complaint@jcaho.org
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