Toward the Ethical Provision of Patient Complaint and Grievance System

Patients and families may file complaints and grievances with hospitals to express dissatisfaction with any aspect of care or experience. In the United States, hospitals are required to respond to these complaints and grievances. The complaint and grievance response process is regulated by several agencies, such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Joint Commission. This presentation will describe the ongoing project that examines the patient complaints and grievance policies and processes from an ethical perspective, focusing on the implications of complaints and grievances on future patient-provider relationships and the impact of patient disparities on the complaint and grievance process utilization and outcomes. This project includes a literature review and semi-structured informational interviews with Patient Advocacy and Patient Relations staff and leaders in selected hospitals. The project’s overall goal is to identify best ethical practices and gaps in data and practice, provide recommendations to reduce these gaps, and suggest solutions that are directed towards more expeditious, fair, and just outcomes.