Opinion
Complain about the complaint system, but it’s progress
Jonathan Rivett
Freelance writerQuestion
I have been a medical specialist for 20 years. Nowadays, complaints about my clinical care are logged in an online system. This is then raised with me via an email that declares I have 14 days to respond, am allowed to bring a “support person” to a face-to-face meeting, and forbids “discussion with another employee except with permission.” The emails do not offer any details of a specific complaint; they are generic.
I don’t work at the hospital every day and these emails cannot be dealt with for at least a week. There is incapacitating stress between first notification and when I am allowed the opportunity to offer my version of events.
Past directors have just approached me “for a chat” on the day I am on duty each week, or over a phone call. This would be over after 30 minutes and resolved to both parties’ satisfaction.
Now, it seems like complaints resolution processes have lost the art of human connection, leading to lengthy email trails that induce unnecessary anxiety. Your thoughts?
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Answer
Merrilyn Walton, professor of medical education (patient safety) public health at the University of Sydney’s School of Public Health, told me having a trustworthy complaint system is essential if the community is to maintain trust in the healthcare system.
“The Commonwealth Ombudsman complaint handling guidelines advises that best practice is the provision of an electronic system for managing complaints and complaint data,” she said. “Consumers have been able to lodge complaints using an electronic system for over a decade. This is part of the move to providing more accessible complaint systems.”
Walton said she is surprised that you aren’t provided with specific details about the complaint. It is obviously difficult to respond to a complaint if you don’t know what the complaint entails.
“Perhaps the email about a complaint and the referral to the respondent is generic, but I would be shocked if the email from the complainant was not attached. If not, the medical specialist should ask for a copy of the complaint and, if not forthcoming, the reason why they cannot have access to it,” she said.
“The reason why the medical specialist is asked not to talk to others who may have information about the complaint is to ensure there is no harassment or attempts to persuade others about a particular version of events. Medicine is very hierarchical, and specialists can wield a lot of power.”
Walton says you can request a face-to face meeting with the person who made the complaint or another health professional. She understands that receiving a complaint can be stressful, but there are steps you can take even when you’re not at the hospital.
“Emails can be accessed at any time – they do not have to be at the hospital. If the specialist wants to see the medical records they can approach the director and have that conversation. A simple courteous email to the director asking for more time or more assistance would be the appropriate response.
“The medical specialist should contact their medical defence insurer who provides guidance and support for members who receive a complaint.”
Why has the industry moved away from quick, informal resolutions to complaints? Walton says it’s for the best – certainly if you’re a patient making a complaint.
“When I first worked in this area in the mid-1980s, a patient who complained about their care and treatment was frequently told that everything was of the highest standard and the patient should be grateful for the care they received.
“Those days have gone.”
Send your Work Therapy questions to jonathan@theinkbureau.com.au.
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