Understanding and managing patient complaints
One of the biggest challenges in the professional life of a General Practitioner is to appropriately deal with a patient complaint. If you hope it will never happen to you, chances are that at some stage during your professional life there will be an occasion. A complaint does not necessarily mean that something went wrong, often it is the result of poor communication and differing expectations. When facing a complaint, typical reactions include disbelief, anger or anxiety - particularly when the patient has not addressed any issues with the practitioner, but instead lodged their complaint with the Health Care Complaints Commission. One common first thought might be – ‘this is unfair, I did the best I can and had no idea that my patient had any issues. I cannot believe that my patient would complain to the Commission without letting me know.” The first important step is to be aware of your own emotional reaction to a complaint and to seek support. You may talk to a trusted colleague or inform your medical indemnity insurer. Remember that when a complaint is lodged with the Commission, you will have the fair opportunity to respond to the complaint before any adverse action is taken. Why do people complain? Many people have high expectations and it is important to keep in mind that people generally complain because they are dissatisfied. In the vast majority of situations people make a complaint because they genuinely believe that something went wrong. Very few people complain just to cause trouble.
On a positive note, a complaint can be an opportunity to increase your understanding of the patient’s perspective. It can also help to improve the service that you offer. Dealing with complaints directly There are some general steps to follow when dealing with complaints when they are made directly to you by a patient: acknowledge the complaint try to resolve the complaint directly with the complainant be aware of differing views of what happened and was said volunteer and explain the known facts Have a complaint handling mechanism already in place Show what action have been taken to prevent similar situations from happening in the future. More tips on how to respond to complaints can be found on the Commission’s website http://www.hccc.nsw.gov.au/html/public ations.htm In general, the more open you are, the better the chances that the complaint will be resolved. Patient resources The Health Care Complaints Commission has developed a free patient information resource, including the brochure and poster “Concerned about your health care? Let us know!” that encourages patients to talk to their doctor or provider immediately to resolve any concerns they might have. The brochure "Resolve concerns about your health care" gives some practical advice on how to address any concerns or issues with the health service
www.hccc.nsw.gov.au
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provider directly. The Health Care Complaints Commission asks for your assistance in making this information available to patients to encourage them to resolve concerns early on. Some patients will talk openly with their provider. Others may prefer to voice their concerns with an independent body like the Health Care Complaints Commission in NSW. The Health Care Complaints Commission was established in 1994 as an independent body to deal with complaints about health service providers in NSW. Our primary objective is the protection of the health and safety of the public. The Commission impartially deals with complaints by assessing and resolving complaints when possible. We also investigate and prosecute serious complaints. We consult with the Health Registration Boards when handling complaints. To request further material, please download the order form from our website http://www.hccc.nsw.gov.au/html/public ations.htm. Case study A patient complained to the Commission about a consultation in a GP practice, which had been interrupted without apparent reasons several times. The patient felt this was rude, unprofessional and unacceptable behaviour. In the doctor’s response it was clarified that he had interrupted the consultation to attend an emergency in the practice rooms as no other staff was available. However, he had not explained this to the patient when he left the consultation.
‘…I very much regret the circumstances that lead to Mrs B submitting her complaint. I acknowledge that the nature of the consultation did not meet my usual standards for the reasons outlined above. I would be pleased to discuss all the details raised by Mrs B, if she were to agree; alternatively I would be pleased to arrange for one of the other senior doctors to review her management in the context of her complaint which I can well understand. I trust this information is sufficient to restore Mrs B’s confidence in the practice.’ The patient accepted the doctor's apology and her complaint was resolved.
More information If you interested in more information about the Health Care Complaints Commission, go to www.hccc.nsw.gov.au. The Commission is an independent organisation. You can contact the Commission’s Inquiry Service on (02) 9219 7444 or toll free on 1800 043 159 if you need more information. The Commission also runs information sessions for health staff and health consumers. To arrange a presentation, please contact Katja Beitat, Communications Officer, by sending an email to kbeitat@hccc.nsw.gov.au or call (02) 9219 7497.
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www.hccc.nsw.gov.au