Why Most Medical Malpractice Victims Never Recover a Dime - Part 19

If you are not satisfied with a physician's or hospital's care, you should be aware that you can report what happened to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Newfoundland and Labrador and if a hospital was involved, to the hospital authority.

            It costs nothing to institute a complaint, and they can be lodged by patients themselves or by a person on behalf of the patient (spouse, parent, child, friend, lawyer, physician, etc.).  Complaints to the College must be in writing and must include the following information:

• Patient's name
• Patient's mailing address
• Patient's telephone number
• Patient's MCP number
• Physician's full name; and,
• Physician's address.

If you are lodging a complaint on behalf of the patient, then your full name, mailing address and telephone number is required in addition to that of the patient.  You will also have to state your relationship to the patient (spouse, etc.).  The College also requires consent for the release of the patient's medical information to the College.  This consent must be from the patients themselves (or the patient's legal representative).

If the physician has hospital privileges, you can also complain to the Vice President Medical Affairs of the appropriate regional health authority.  Contact information for these officials is available at our website, at the hospital website, or by telephoning the hospital.

If you are computer savvy, there is a wealth of information online as to how the complain process works.  Just go to http://www.nmb.ca/Complaints.asp.

Helpful Tips:

1. Be concise with your complaint.  Avoid rambling and including unnecessary or irrelevant information.
2. Be professional.  Avoid personal attacks or demeaning comments.
3. Type your complaint letter if you can.
4. Include copies of any medical records if you have them.

Many people we talk to about a potential malpractice case tell us:  "I don't want this to happen to anyone else."  If you feel this way, you owe it to yourself and the community to make your complaint heard.  Perhaps your situation was simply a bad result that no reasonable doctor or hospital could anticipate.  Or, you might not be the first person to make a complaint against the doctor or hospital involved, and your complaint may be the one where action is finally taken to make our medical care safer.