Patient Complaints and Grievances - Centuranews.org

APPENDIX A: PATIENT GRIEVANCES ACTIONS SUMMARY (This document is to be used as a guideline to assist staff in St.Thomas More Hospital’s commitment towards timely resolution of a complaint/grievance)PATIENT GRIEVANCES: A formal written or verbal complaint generated when a patient complaint (concern) cannot be resolvedby a staff member.BEDSIDE PHONE CALL OR WALK IN LETTERStaff attempts to resolve complaint.If not resolved, staff offersManager/Director/Physician assistance.Manager/Director attempts to resolve andinforms appropriate Senior Leadershipand Risk Manager/Patient Representativeif issue not resolved.Risk Manager/Patient Representative logsissue into the STM Resolution Database.Risk Manger/Pt Representative willmonitor response to grievance, and if byday 5 and no response is received fromthe Manager/Director/Physician, the RiskManager/Pt Representative will contactthe appropriate executive leader to assistwith grievance resolutionIf still unresolved, Risk Manager/PtRepresentative will send a letter to patientstating that they may contact the CAO.Department Director/Risk Manger/PatientRepresentative accepts & logs issue on a complaintreportIssue referred to appropriate Manager/Director/Physician for investigation and appropriateawareness to the Senior Leader.Manager /Director/Physician to respond to RiskManager/Patient Representative by day 5.Manager/Director/Physician (in collaboration withthe Risk Manager/Patient Representative) respondsto the patient and/or family member in writing andforwards a copy of the response to the RiskManager/Patient Representative.Risk Manager/Pt Representative will monitorresponse to grievance, and if by day 5 and noresponse is received from theManager/Director/Physician, the Risk Manager/PtRepresentative will contact the appropriateexecutive leader to assist with grievance resolution.Monitoring of the timely resolution (average of 7days) of patient grievances will be completed by theRisk Manager/Patient Representative andpresented at the Quality Council & Patient SafetyCouncil, per the reporting schedule.If still unresolved, Risk Manager/Pt Representativewill send a letter to patient stating that they maycontact the CAO.Risk Manager/Patient Representative accepts & logsissue in the complaint database (if received byAdministrative Secretary, promptly forward to RiskManager/Patient Representative, will facilitate multiunitor complex issues). Risk Manager/PatientRepresentative contacts the patient via phone andinforms the patient in writing the investigation process.Issue referred to appropriate Manager/Director/Physician for investigation and appropriateawareness to the Senior Leader.Manager /Director/Physician respond to RiskManager/Patient Representative within 5 businessdays.Manager/Director/Physician (in collaboration with theRisk Manager/Patient Representative) responds to thepatient and/or family member in writing and forwards acopy of the response to the Risk Manager/PatientRepresentative.Risk Manager/Pt Representative will monitor responseto grievance, and if by day 5 and no response isreceived from the Manager/Director/Physician, theRisk Manager/Pt Representative will contact theappropriate senior leader to assist with grievanceresolutionIf still unresolved, Risk Manager/Pt Representative willsend a letter to patient stating that they may contactthe CAO.A “patient complaint” consists of relatively minor requests that are resolved at a staff level with or without the assistance of the patientrepresentative, in a timely manner. If a complaint/concern cannot be remedied promptly by staff present then it will be considered a grievance.Page 6 of 6