How do you file a complaint about a doctor, hospital, or provider?

To file a complaint about improper care (like claims of abuse to a person in a nursing home) or unsafe conditions (like water damage or fire safety concerns) in a hospital, home health agency, hospice, or nursing home contact your State Survey Agency (usually part of your State’s department of health services).

To file a complaint about conditions at a hospital (like rooms being too hot or cold, cold food, or poor housekeeping) contact your State department of health services.

To file a complaint about your doctor (like unprofessional conduct, incompetent practice, or licensing questions) contact your State medical board.

Complaints about the quality of your care

Contact your Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for complaints about the quality of care you got from a Medicare provider.

Quality of care complaints could include:

Like being given the wrong drug or being given drugs that interact in a negative way.

Like being operated on for a condition that could’ve been effectively treated with drugs or physical therapy.

Like being given the wrong treatment or treatment you didn’t need.

Like not getting treatment after abnormal test results or when you developed a complication.

Like being sent home when you’re still in severe pain.

Like being sent home from the hospital without instructions for the changes that were made in your daily medicine.