| Description
of Hospital Complaint Process
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital maintains a system to
track, trend and respond to patient comments, complaints
and grievances to support the hospital mission of quality
health services, maintain patient rights and to reduce
the risk of loss. A Quality Specialist, who reports
to the Vice President of Quality/Patient Safety, serves
as an intermediary between the patient, the healthcare
provider and the healthcare system and provides a specific
channel through which patients and families can seek
solutions to problems, concerns and unmet needs. He
or she enables patients and families to obtain solutions
to problems by acting in their behalf with administration
or any department to improve care and service. As the
institution's direct representative, the Quality Specialist
interprets its philosophy, policies, procedures and
services to patients, their families and visitors. The
Quality Specialist acts in response to patient grievances
as per the Patient Bill of Rights. Brattleboro Memorial
Hospital will cooperate with any investigations made
by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and will
not threaten, intimidate or retaliate against any individual
filing a complaint.
If you have a problem or complaint:
1. If during your stay at the hospital, or for any
services rendered as an outpatient, you have a problem
of anykind that is not dealt with to your satisfaction,
after discussion with your attending physician or nurse,
please feel free to contact the Quality Specialist who
can be reached by calling 1-802-257-8244.
2. The Quality Specialist investigates and responds
to complaints and expressions of dissatisfaction about
care and problems experienced by patients, and acts
as an intermediary to hospital administration on behalf
of patients and their families. When it is necessary
to research a problem, he or she keeps patients informed
of the progress being made.
3. If you have a complaint about rights or any other
issue, the healthcare provider will try to resolve the
complaint. If the complaint cannot be resolved to your
satisfaction, or if the issue or concern is beyond the
scope of the healthcare provider, the Quality Specialist
will be notified. If the issue cannot be settled satisfactorily,
the patient has a right to file a written grievance.
4. The Quality Specialist will render a written decision
in response to the grievance within 2 weeks. The decision
will contain the steps taken to investigate the grievance,
the results of the grievance process, the date of completion,
and the name of the person to whom the decision may
be appealed.
5. If the grievance is not resolved, the patient/family
may submit it to the Vice President of the area of concern
within one week of the response. Issues concerning quality
of care or premature discharge will be referred to the
Vice President of Quality/Patient Safety. The Vice President
of Quality/Patient Safety will conduct an investigation
and render a written decision within one week. The written
notice will contain the steps taken to investigate the
grievance, the results of the grievance process, the
date of completion and the name of the person to whom
the patient/family may appeal the decision.
6. If the grievance is not resolved, the patient/family
may submit it to the President within one week of the
response. The President or designee’s decision
will be final. The written notice will be rendered within
one week and will contain the steps taken on behalf
of the patient/family to investigate the grievance and
the decision.
7. The patient/family will be advised that they may
contact the following agencies if they feel it is necessary
to discuss the complaint with someone outside the hospital:
- Vermont Board of Health, Vermont Department of
Health,
PO Box 70, Burlington, Vermont 05402
Telephone: 1-800-464-4343 ext 7273 or 863-7273
- Vermont Board of Medical Practice,
109 State Street, Montpelier, Vermont, 05609
Telephone: 1-800-439-8683 or 828-2673
- Department of Aging and Disability, Division of
Licensing and Protection,
103 South Main-Street,
Waterbury, Vermont 05671
Telephone: 241-2345, 1-800-564-1612, Fax: 241-2358
- Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services,
200 Independence Ave. S. W.
Washington, DC 20201
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