Complaints

Highlights

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• Number of Physicians vs. Complaint Statistics and Average Days to Close of Complaint

  Totals	2010	2009	2008	2007	2006
  No. of complaints received	867	756	550	571	583
  No. of physicians complained about	696	622	477	471	494
  Complaints open at year end	606	406	323	373	279
  Average days to close:
  - up to 4 months	36%	35%	41%	33%	52%
  - 5 to 8 months	40%	44%	31%	*prior to 2008 statistics represented the timeframe 4-12 months (2007: 56%; 2006: 40%; 2005: 56% and 2004: 38%)
  - 9 to 12 months	15%	13%	17%
  - more than 12 months	9%	8%	11%	11%	8%

   

• Summary of Complaint Natures

   

  Nature*	2010	2009	2008	2007	2006
  Practice Management	564	450	272	209	243
  Medical Reporting	127	133	71	73	75
  Third Party	38	17	8	9	16
  Ethics	126	89	68	51	74
  Quality of Care	528	498	351	345	344
  Systemic	4	1	2	5	6
  Unclassified	30	17	15	21	15
  Total	1417	1205	787	713	773

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• Complaint Nature Codes

   

  • Quality of Care - Diagnosis (incorrect or delayed), Treatment (prescribing, procedural and counseling, referral/consultations, follow-up)
  • Practice Management - Physician availability, office management including finance and communication
  • Medical Reporting - Release of records, report completion and accuracy
  • Ethics - Confidentiality, informed consent, advertising/self promotion, research related, and boundary violations (including sexual, financial and others)
  • Third Party - Independent Medical Examination, (WCB, and Non-WCB, all others)
  • Unclassified - All others
  • Systemic - Access to human resources and technology, continuity of care and interdisciplinary issues