How to File Complaints Against Healthcare Professionals and Facilities

• This page, File a complaint against a health care professional or facility, is offered by
• Bureau of Health Professions Licensure
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• Department of Public Health

File a complaint against a health care professional or facility

You have a right to file a complaint with the Bureau of Health Professions Licensure if a health care professional or facility violates standards of professional conduct.

1. Before you start

Anyone can submit a complaint against a licensee for the Bureau to review. BHPL recommends you file the complaint using our Online Complaint Portal.

1. Be as specific as possible in your complaint description including location, date, name of licensee, licensee #, witnesses, etc. Use separate submissions for each person and/or facility you are filing complaints against.
2. Include copies of all pertinent medical records, correspondence, contracts, photographs, and any other documents that support each of your complaints when filing. You will not be able to return to your complaint once it has been submitted.
3. The Bureau may request additional treatment or medical records from the provider to investigate your complaint if your complaint is about the treatment that you received as a patient. The online complaint portal includes an electronic authorization for the release of such records.
4. Upon receipt of your complaint, the Bureau will carefully review all available information.  The Bureau may take one of the following actions:
   1. Open a formal complaint and pursue disciplinary action.
   2. Open a staff action investigation in order to determine whether there is evidence of a violation.
   3. Close the matter due to insufficient evidence, lack of jurisdiction, lack of statutory or regulatory violation, etc.
5. If a Board opens a formal complaint, the formal complaint may be dismissed, resolved with non-disciplinary action, or result in a disciplinary sanction against the licensee.

Non-disciplinary actions include:

1. Advisory letter

2. Non-disciplinary stayed probation.
   Disciplinary actions include:

3. Reprimand

4. Probation

5. Suspension or Revocation
   The Board must have clear evidence of a statutory or regulatory violation in order to impose a sanction on a license.

   1. If the Bureau is not the correct agency to handle your complaint, we may refer your complaint to another agency or program.
   2. Paper complaint forms are available upon request. Please call the Bureau of Health Professions Licensure- Office of Public Protection at (617) 973-0865 or contact by email at bhplcomplaints@mass.gov.

2. After you file your complaint:

The Bureau will send you, the complainant, a written notification if further action is taken on your complaint. The licensee named in the complaint may be notified and provided with a copy of your complaint and asked to provide a written response to the allegations.

The duration of an investigation varies on a case-to-case basis, depending on the complexity of the investigation, particularly if medical records or other pertinent information needs to be requested.  It may take one month to review or up to three years to impose disciplinary action.

When the case is resolved, you will be notified of the action taken by the Bureau, except in the case of anonymous complaints.

Anonymous complaints

We may, in our discretion, investigate an anonymous complaint if:

1. The complaint alleges violations of law or regulations warranting Board action or poses an immediate danger to public health and safety.
2. The complaint contains sufficient information to conduct an investigation.
3. Evidence of alleged violation is available from other sources
4. Proving the allegations doesn't need the identification and/or testimony of the person filing the complaint. Anonymous complaints will be reviewed; however, the Bureau may not be able to conduct a full investigation or pursue disciplinary action if it is unable to obtain supporting evidence from other sources.

All cases are reviewed and prioritized. The highest priority is given to cases which pose a potential or immediate threat of harm to a patient or patients.

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File a complaint against a health care professional File a complaint against a health care professional

BHPL oversees 21 boards of registration and certification in health professions, including nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, dentists, and more.

Learn More about File a complaint against a health care professional

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Issues that are outside of our authority

• Fee disputes, such as payment for missed appointments.
• Billing disputes, such as the amount a licensee charges for services.
• Personality conflicts (unless such rises to the level of unprofessional conduct.)

For healthcare fraud reporting:

You may submit a health care fraud complaint against professionals and facilities licensed by the Board of Registration of Chiropractors and the Board of Registration of Allied Health.

Looking for more information about a resolved complaint?

• Disciplinary and other actions taken by BHPL boards of registration, are available online.
• Public records may be requested from the Bureau of Health Professions Licensure.

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File a complaint against a physician, psychiatrist, or an acupuncturist File a complaint against a physician, psychiatrist, or an acupuncturist

If you are looking to file a complaint against a physician, psychiatrist, or an acupuncturist please file your complaint with the Board of Registration in Medicine.

Learn More about File a complaint against a physician, psychiatrist, or an acupuncturist

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File a complaint against a health care facility File a complaint against a health care facility

For concerns about care provided at a hospital, nursing home, or health care facility, file your complaint with the Division of Health Care Facility Licensure and Certification.

Learn More about File a complaint against a health care facility

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Contact

Bureau of Health Professions Licensure- Office of Public Protection

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Online

bhplcomplaints@mass.gov Email Bureau of Health Professions Licensure- Office of Public Protection at bhplcomplaints@mass.gov

Phone

Phone: Call Bureau of Health Professions Licensure- Office of Public Protection , Phone: at (617) 973-0865 TTY: Call Bureau of Health Professions Licensure- Office of Public Protection , TTY: at (617) 973-0988

Fax

Fax: (617) 973-0985

Address

250 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108 Directions

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Related

• Bureau of Health Professions Licensure
• Board of Registration in Medicine
• Division of Health Care Facility Licensure and Certification

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