How To File A Complaint On A Doctor When You Disagree With Treatment

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As a patient, you have a right to receive adequate healthcare.

When you do not receive the medical care that you feel is satisfactory it is best to speak with your doctor about the specific issue in order to see if it can be resolved. However, if a resolution cannot be found and you are still unhappy with the quality of treatment received then there are options for you. 

In this guide, I will provide you with a basic understanding of how to file a grievance against your doctor or a hospital if you do not agree with a medical decision. There are multiple agencies that you can file a complaint with like the hospital, a state medical board, Joint Commission, and Quality Improvement Organizations are a few. 

Once you finish reading this guide, you will have a solid understanding of how the grievance process works and which agency can best help you to solve your issue. 

Before Filing A Complaint or Appeal 

Before you file a complaint against your doctor it is best to try and resolve the issue with your healthcare provider. Waiting for a decision on a grievance takes time, but if you work with your doctor, they may be able to work with you to satisfy your health need. 

Prior to filing a complaint try these two things: 

1. Read your patient rights and responsibilities
2. Speak to your doctor 

Read Your Patient Rights and Responsibilities

To ensure that you have a valid reason to file a complaint read your patient rights and responsibilities. This is a document that hospital admissions or possibly the case manager at your hospital will provide to you. 

Patient rights are basic guidelines for care between you, the patient, and the hospital. A few examples of patients rights are: 

• Open and honest communication – The medical providers in the hospital have an ethical duty to be honest with you about your health. You have the right to know your current medical status and receive all the facts necessary to ensure you understand your medical condition. 
• Informed consent – This means that you give your hospital doctors permission to treat you. You can ask questions about risks involved in treatment, why a procedure is necessary, and what alternatives are potentially available.
• A right to privacy – This essentially means that you healthcare providers will not share your information with others. In order to feel comfortable about speaking with your doctor regarding your medical conditions, you need assurance that those talks are confidential. HIPPA Law is a specific privacy law that ensures your conversations with your doctor remain private. 
• You have a right to health care – Whether you are insured or not you have a right to receive treatment in a hospital if you are in a medical emergency. A federal law called EMTALA ensures that you are able to be screened to determine whether you are in a medical emergency. 
• You cannot be abandoned by a doctor –  A doctor has the duty to continue treatment after you provide consent unless you later decline treatment. If a doctor has to stop treatment they must transfer or refer you to another capable health care professional or they can be charged with negligent abandonment. 
• Right to refuse care – As an adult, you can refuse life-saving medical treatment. You cannot refuse the same life-saving treatment for a child who is still a minor. 

If your grievance aligns with a guideline on the patient rights form, you can use this as the basis of your complaint.  

Speak To Your Doctor

Before you file a complaint against your doctor you first want to speak directly to your doctor or the healthcare facility they work in. 

Starting with this approach can lead to a quick solution when compared to contacting a state board, joint commission, or Medicare. The more entities you involve the more time-consuming and difficult it becomes for you to receive a favorable outcome. 

Speaking directly to your provider will not guarantee that you will receive the outcome you want, but you should give your doctor or healthcare facility a chance to fix the problem.  

If you have tried speaking to your doctor or healthcare facility about your concern, but you are still unsatisfied, the next section will walk you through steps you can take to file a complaint against your doctor. 

The Importance Of Patient Satisfaction Surveys To Hospitals

Patient Satisfaction Surveys are important because they indicate how well a hospital is treating its patients. A patient survey assesses your perception of the hospital. Typically a hospital’s main goals are to provide the patient with: 

• Quality health care
• Health care that is accessible
• Treat patients with respect

If a hospital can achieve these 3 things, the likelihood of a positive survey increases. If a hospital fails in any of these areas, this can lead to problems. Specifically financial problems. 

According to GE Healthcare, a year of negative reviews on patient surveys can lead to $500,000 to $850,000 in lost revenue for a hospital!

I say all this to say, if you have legitimate grievances, find the department manager or patient representative at your hospital and voice your concerns with them. Typically they are tasked with understanding patient problems and then try to solve them. 

Patient surveys are important to a hospital’s bottom line, so use this knowledge to your advantage if you feel you are not receiving the care you deserve. 

How To File A Complaint Against Your Doctor Through Your State’s Medical Board

In this section, I will show you how to file a complaint against your doctor through the state medical board. To do this you will need to contact your state’s medical board. I will provide you with a listing of medical board contacts in each state, but first, let me provide you with a little more information about the state medical board. 

• Your State’s Medical Board is responsible for providing your doctor with their medical license. State Medical boards also provide services like investigating complaints against doctors and disciplining those doctors if rules or regulations are violated. Essentially the role of a State Medical Board is to protect the public from incompetent, unprofessional, and poorly trained doctors. 
• Every state has its own laws and regulations that govern the practice of how doctors can practice Medicine. The regulations that your doctor must follow are typically spelled out and something call the “Medical Practice Act”. 
• You can file a complaint against any doctor that is licensed in the state. Your state’s medical board website will have a “Lookup a license” feature which allows you to find doctors who are licensed to practice medicine in your state. 

Contact Information For Each State’s Medical Board 

To file a complaint against your doctor, you will need to visit your state’s medical board website and complete an online complaint form. 

Complaint forms generally ask for information like: 

• Information about your doctor which includes their name, business address, and telephone number
• Your name and contact information
• Details of the complaint

Below is a listing of each state’s medical board and its contact information in the event you need to file a complaint against a doctor. 

Alabama Board of Medical Examiners

You can file a complaint against an Alabama doctor by contacting the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners.  For more information, you can call 334.242.4153, 334.242.4116, or visit albme.org. 

Alaska State Medical Board

If your doctor is licensed in Alaska, you will need to contact the Alaska State Medical Board to file a complaint. They require that you contact them to see if your complaint falls within their jurisdiction. You can call them at 907.269.8163, 907.269.8437, or visit the Alaska Professional Licensing website (https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/ComplaintFAQs.aspx). 

Arizona Medical Board

To file a complaint against an Arizona doctor, you will need to contact the Arizona Medical Board. You can reach them by dialing 480.551.2700 or visiting the Arizona Medical Board website (https://www.azmd.gov/). 

Arkansas State Medical Board

If your complaint is against an Arkansas doctor, then the Arkansas State Medical Board can assist you. Contact them at 501.296.1802 or visit the Arkansas State Medical Board website (http://www.armedicalboard.org/). 

Medical Board of California

To file a complaint against a California doctor contact the Medical Board of California at 916.263.2389 or their website (https://www.mbc.ca.gov/). 

Colorado Medical Board 

You can complain about treatment from a Colorado doctor to the Colorado Medical Board. Their phone number is 303.894.7690. You can also visit the Colorado Medical Board website (https://dpo.colorado.gov/Medical). 

Connecticut Medical Examining Board

To file a complaint against a Connecticut doctor, you will need to contact the Connecticut Medical Examining Board at 800.509.7552. You can visit their website (https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Public-Health-Hearing-Office/Connecticut-Medical-Examining-Board/Connecticut-Medical-Examining-Board) for more information. 

Delaware Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline

To report a Delaware doctor, you will have to follow up with the Delaware Medical Board. You can call them at 302.744.4500 or visit their website (https://dpr.delaware.gov/). 

District of Columbia Board of Medicine

You can file a complaint against a Washington D.C. doctor by contacting the DC Board of Medicine. Call them with your grievance at 202.724.4900. 

Florida Board of Medicine 

To issue a grievance against a Florida doctor, you will have to contact the Florida Board of Medicine at 850.245.4131. You can also visit their website at flboardofmedicine.gov. 

Georgia Composite Medical Board

The Georgia Medical Board accepts complaints about Georgia doctors. You can reach them at 404.656.3913 or visit medicalboard.georgia.gov. 

Hawaii Medical Board

Complaints about Hawaii doctors can be sent to the Hawaii Medical Board. You can call them at 808.586.2699 or visit cca.hawaii.gov for more information. 

Idaho Board of Medicine

Idaho doctors can be reported to the Idaho Board of Medicine. Their number is 208.327.7000. You can also issue a grievance online at bom.idaho.gov. 

Illinois Division of Professional Regulation

To issue a complaint against an Illinois doctor you can contact the Illinois Medical Board at 800.560.6420 or visit their website (https://www.idfpr.com/profs/Boards/MedDisc.asp). 

Medical Licensing Board of Indiana

Indiana doctors can be reported to the Indiana Medical Board. Their phone number is 317.234.2060. You can also visit their website (https://www.in.gov/pla/medical.htm) for more information. 

Iowa Board of Medicine

If an Iowa doctor needs to be reported, the Iowa Board of Medicine will accept the complaint. Call them at 515.281.7088 or visit medicalboard.iowa.gov. 

Kansas State Board of Healing Arts

The Kansas state medical board can help you with any doctor’s complaints. You will need to contact them at 785.296.7413 or visit ksbha.org. 

Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure

For a complaint against a Kentucky doctor, you will need to contact the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure. Their phone number is 502.429.7150 and the website is kbml.ky.gov. 

Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners

To file a complaint against a Louisiana doctor, you will need to contact the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners at 504.568.6820 or visit their website at lsbme.la.gov. 

Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine

The Maine Medical board can accept grievances against Maine doctors. You can contact this medical board at 207.287.3601 or visit maine.gov/md. 

Maryland Board of Physicians

You can contact the Maryland Board of Physicians to file a report against Maryland doctors. You can call and make a complaint at 410.764.4777 or visit mbp.state.md.us. 

Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine

To file a complaint against a Massachusetts doctor, you will need to contact the state’s medical board at 781.876.8200. You can visit the mass.gov/massmedboard to learn more about filing a grievance against a medical provider. 

Michigan Board of Medicine

The Michigan Board of Medicine accepts complaints against Michigan doctors. You can either call them at 517.335.0918 or visit their website of michigan.gov/healthlicense. 

Minnesota Board of Medical Practice

To file a grievance against a Minnesota doctor, contact the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice at 612.617.2130 or visit the bmp.state.mn.us website. 

Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure

If you need to report a complaint against a Mississippi doctor you can contact the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure. You can contact the Mississippi medical board at 601.987.3079 or visit msbml.ms.gov. 

Missouri Board of Registration for the Healing Arts

To report a Missouri doctor you will need to contact the Missouri Board of Registration for the Healing Arts. The phone number is 573.751.0098, the website is pr.mo.gov/healingarts.asp. 

Montana Board of Medical Examiners

Montana doctors can be reported to the Montana Medical Board. The phone number is 406.841.2360 and the website is boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/med. 

Nebraska Board of Medicine and Surgery

To file a complaint against a Nebraska doctor you can contact 402.471.2118 or visit dhhs.ne.gov/pages/default.aspx. 

Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners

Nevada doctors are reported to the Nevada Medical Board. The phone number is 775.688.2559, the website is medboard.nv.gov. 

New Hampshire Board of Medicine

To report a New Hampshire doctor, you will need to contact the New Hampshire Board of Medicine by phone 800.780.4757, or oplc.nh.gov/medicine. 

New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners

A New Jersey doctor can be reported to the New Jersey State Medical Board. The phone number is 609.826.7100, their website is njconsumeraffairs.gov. 

New Mexico Medical Board

To file a complaint against a New Mexico doctor, you will need to contact the New Mexico Medical Board. The phone number is 505.476.7220, the website is nmmb.state.nm.us. 

New York State Medical Board

To report a New York doctor, you will have to call 518.402.0855 or visit health.ny.gov/professionals/doctors/conduct/. 

North Carolina Medical Board

If you have to file a complaint against a North Carolina doctor, you can call 919.326.1100 or visit ncmedboard.org. 

North Dakota Board of Medicine

North Dakota doctors can be reported to the North Dakota Board of Medicine. The phone number is 701.450.4060. The website is ndbom.org.

Ohio State Medical Board

To file a complaint against an Ohio doctor you must call 614.466.3934 or file your grievance online at med.ohio.gov. 

Oklahoma State Medical Board 

You can file a complaint against an Oklahoma doctor by calling 405.962.1400 or visit okmedicalboard.org. 

Oregon Medical Board

To file a grievance against an Oregon doctor you will need to contact the Oregon Medical Board. That number is 971.673.2700, the website is oregon.gov/OMB. 

Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine

Contact the Pennsylvania State Medical Board to issue a complaint against a Pennsylvania doctor. Their number is 717.787.2381. The website can be found at Pennsylvania Department of State. 

Rhode Island Medical Board

To report a Rhode Island doctor, you will need to contact the Rhode Island Medical Board at 401.222.3855 or visit health.ri.gov. 

South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners

You can file a complaint against a South Carolina doctor by phone at 803.896.4500 or via llr.sc.gov. 

Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners

If you need to file a grievance against a Tennessee doctor call 615.532.4384 or visit the Tennessee Department of Health website. 

Texas Medical Board

To file a complaint against a Texas doctor, you will need to report this to the Texas Medical Board. You can contact the medical board at 512.305.7010, 800.201.9353, or visit tmb.state.tx.us. 

Utah Physicians and Surgeons Licensing Board

Reporting Utah doctors starts with a call to the Utah Physicians and Surgeons Licensing Board. The phone number is 801.530.6628, the website is dopl.utah.gov/md/index.html. 

Vermont Board of Medical Practice

To learn how to report a Vermont doctor, you can contact the Vermont Board of Medical Practice. Their number is 802.657.4220, the website is healthvermont.gov. 

Virginia Board of Medicine

To report a Virginia doctor, you will need to call the Virginia State Medical Board. Their phone number is 800.533.1560. The website is dhp.virginia.gov. 

Washington Medical Commission

The Washington Medical commission fields reports about Washington State doctors. Their phone number is 360.236.2750. The website is wmc.wa.gov. 

West Virginia Board of Medicine

To learn how to file a complaint against a West Virginia doctor, call 304.558.2921. Their website is wvbom.wv.gov. 

Wisconsin Medical Examining Board

To file a grievance against a Wisconsin doctor starts by contacting the Wisconsin State Medical Board. Their phone number is 877.617.1565, the website is dsps.wi.gov. 

Wyoming Board of Medicine 

To report  Wyoming doctors, contact the Wyoming Board of Medicine at 800.438.5484 or visit wyomedboard.wyo.gov. 

How To File A Complaint Against A Hospital Or Healthcare Facility

Before taking your complaint to the state health department or Joint Commission, first consider speaking to your treating doctor or nurse if you are unhappy with treatment. This is especially true if you are still in the hospital. Speaking directly to your healthcare provider is the absolute fastest way to resolve your problem.

If speaking to your doctor is not an option continue reading to see what options you have. 

The two ways to file a complaint against a hospital are: 

1. Contacting your state’s Health and Human Services Commission
2. Call Joint Commission

File A Hospital Complaint with Your State’s Health and Human Services Commission

Your state’s Health and Human Services Commission or Health Department likely has a hospital licensing division that you can report complaints to. The hospital licensing department is responsible for ensuring that hospitals comply with established state regulations. 

When you file a complaint with your state’s health department they will conduct an investigation to look into your situation. 

Again, to file a complaint against a hospital you will need to contact the state health department where you received the poor treatment. 

Listing of State Health Departments In the US

Below is a listing of U.S. health departments in each state. You can contact these state health departments to file a complaint, reach your ombudsman, and of course apply for Medicaid. 

• Alabama Division of Health Care Facilities – https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/index.html – 800.252.1818
• Alaska Division of Public Health – http://dhss.alaska.gov/Pages/default.aspx – 800.478.2221
• Arizona Department of Health Services – https://www.azdhs.gov/ – 602.542.1025
• Arkansas Department of Health – https://healthy.arkansas.gov/ – 800.462.0599
• California Department of Public Health – https://www.cdph.ca.gov/ – 916.558.1784
• Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment – https://cdphe.colorado.gov/ – 866.760.6489
• Connecticut Department of Public Health – https://portal.ct.gov/dph – 860.509.8000
• Delaware Division of Public Health
• District of Columbia Health Regulation and Licensing Administration
• Florida Agency for Health Care Administration
• Georgia Department of Community Health
• Hawaii Department of Health 
• Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
• Illinois Department of Public Health
• Indiana State Department of Health
• Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals Health Facilities Divisions
• Kansas Division of Health
• Kentucky Division of Health Care
• Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals
• Maine Licensing and Regulatory Services
• Maryland Office of Health Care Qualify
• Massachusetts Division of HealthCare quality
• Michigan Department of Community Health
• Minnesota Department of Health
• Mississippi State Department of Health
• Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
• Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services
• Nebraska Health and Humans Services System
• New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
• New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services
• New Mexico Division of Health Improvement
• New York State Department of Health Hospital Profiel
• North Carolina Division of Health Service Regulation
• North Dakota Department of Health
• Ohio Department of Health
• Oklahoma State Department of Health
• Oregon Health Care Regulation and Quality Improvement
• Pennsylvania Department of Health
• Rhode Island Department of Health
• South Carolina DHEC Health Licensing
• South Dakota Department of Health
• Tennessee Department of Health
• Texas Health and Human Services
• Utah Department of Health
• Vermont Division of Licensing and Protection
• Virginia Department of Health
• Washington State Department of Health
• West Virginia Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification
• Wisconsin Department of Health Services
• Wyoming Department of Health 

File A Hospital Complaint with Joint Commission

The Joint Commission is a non-profit that provides accreditation to hospitals in the US. In order to maintain that accreditation, hospitals have to follow certain guidelines. 

If you feel that a hospital has violated your patient rights or broken rules you can file a complaint with Joint Commission. Here are 3 ways to contact them: 

• Online at www.jointcommission.org
• Via email at complaint@jointcommission.org
• By phone at 800.994.6610

When filing a complaint with the Joint Commission be sure to provide the name of the hospital, address, and a detailed explanation of your problem. 

How To File A Complaint If You Have Medicaid

If you have Medicaid these are the steps that you can follow to file a complaint against your doctor, voice concerns about your medications, or your medical equipment. 

Speak To Your Doctor About Your Concerns

If your goal is to simply solve your problem, the fastest way to do this is to speak to your doctor about your concerns. Your doctor may be able to correct any problems related to your medications, medical equipment, or any treatment that you disagree with. 

It can be intimidating speaking directly to your doctor about something that you disagree with, therefore other options might include contacting your health insurance plan or your state’s Medicaid department directly. 

Information Needed To Make A Complaint With Medicaid

Before calling your health plan, Medicaid, or your state’s Ombudsman make sure to have these things: 

1. Your Medicaid ID number
2. Your name, date of birth, address
3. Contact information related to your complaint. This could include your doctor’s name, phone number, the name of your prescriptions, or information about the medical equipment company

Contacting Your Health Plan or Medicaid About Your Complaint

To make a complaint with your health plan you simply need to call the customer service number that is on the back of your insurance card. 

If you do not have a health plan, then you can contact Medicaid. To reach them you will need to call the Health and Human Services Commission in your state. This is the department that manages Medicaid in your state. 

Call Your State’s Ombudsman

An Ombudsman is a government official who investigates complaints against doctors, hospitals, and medical providers in general. Their purpose is to mediate between you and your doctor and try to help you both come to a favorable resolution. 

To find an ombudsman in your state, contact the Health and Human Services Commission in your state and they will put you in touch with an ombudsman. 

How To File A Complaint If You Have Medicare (Quality Improvement Organization)

If you have Medicare insurance and need to file a complaint or appeal a hospital discharge you will want to contact your Quality Improvement Organization (QIO). In this section, we will discuss how QIO’s can help you, the reasons to call them, and how to find the QIO that services your state. 

What Is A Quality Improvement Organization?

A Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) is a private organization that helps you (if you have Medicare) to resolve any complaints or appeals that you file against your medical providers. 

QIOs are independent organizations that work with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services or CMS. These organizations ensure that medical providers are following CMS rules. 

A QIO organization consists of doctors, quality health experts, and other medical professionals who understand the rules of CMS and ensure that hospitals follow these rules.  

How Quality Improvement Organizations Can Help You

The main ways that QIO’s help Medicare beneficiaries are by resolving complaints and making rulings on discharge decisions. If you have either of these problems, you can contact a QIO for support. 

Reasons To Contact A Quality Improvement Organization

Your Quality Improvement Organization will help you to resolve a complaint or appeal a medical decision made by your doctor or hospital. To give you a better idea of situations that QIO’s handle view the list below: 

• If you were provided the wrong medication
• The hospital is discharging you before you are ready to go home
• Developed an infection while you were hospitalized
• Your hospital provided the wrong treatment to you
• You believe the doctor or hospital is not providing the right type of care 
• Any other medical concern 

As I have said in other sections, prior to filing a complaint or appeal try to speak with someone at the hospital (nurse, doctor, department manager) to see if there is a way to solve your problem. 

Quality Improvement Organizations In Each State (Kepro vs Livanta)

There are two Quality Improvement Organizations that accept Medicare complaints and appeals. Those QIO’s are Kepro and Livanta. 

The QIO that you contact will depend on the state that you live in. Below is a listing of each state and the QIO that handles the Medicare complaints and appeals. 

Kepro 

You will need to contact Kepro if you live in any of these states to make a Medicare complaint. Visit https://www.keproqio.com or contact the local number to file a complaint or appeal.

• Alabama – 888−317−0751 (toll-free); 813−280−8256 (local)
• Alaska – 888−317−0751 (toll-free); 813−280−8256 (local)
• Arkansas – 888−315−0636 (toll-free); 216−447−9604 (local)
• Colorado – 888−317−0891 (toll-free); 813−280−8256 (local)
• Connecticut – 888−319−8452 (toll-free); 216−447−9604 (local)
• Florida – 888−317−0751 (toll-free); 813−280−8256 (local)
• Georgia – 888−317−0751 (toll-free); 813−280−8256 (local)
• Idaho – 888−305−6759 (toll-free); 813−280−8256 (local)
• Louisiana – 888−315−0636 (toll-free); 216−447−9604 (local)
• Maine – 888−319−8452 (toll-free); 216−447−9604 (local)
• Massachusetts – 888−319−8452 (toll-free); 216−447−9604 (local)
• Mississippi – 888−317−0751 (toll-free); 813−280−8256 (local)
• Montana – 888−317−0891 (toll-free); 813−280−8256 (local)
• New Hampshire – 888−319−8452 (toll-free); 216−447−9604 (local)
• New Mexico – 888−315−0636 (toll-free); 216−447−9604 (local)
• North Carolina – 888−317−0751 (toll-free); 813−280−8256 (local)
• North Dakota – 888−317−0891 (toll-free); 813−280−8256 (local)
• Oklahoma – 888−315−0636 (toll-free); 216−447−9604 (local)
• Oregon – 888−305−6759 (toll-free); 813−280−8256 (local)
• Rhode Island – 888−319−8452 (toll-free); 216−447−9604 (local)
• South Carolina – 888−317−0751 (toll-free); 813−280−8256 (local)
• South Dakota – 888−317−0891 (toll-free); 813−280−8256 (local)
• Tennessee – 888−317−0751 (toll-free); 813−280−8256 (local)
• Texas – 888−315−0636 (toll-free); 216−447−9604 (local)
• Utah – 888−315−0636 (toll-free); 216−447−9604 (local)
• Vermont – 888−315−0636 (toll-free); 216−447−9604 (local)
• Washington – 888−305−6759 (toll-free); 813−280−8256 (local)
• Wyoming – 888−317−0891 (toll-free); 813−280−8256 (local)

Livanta

You will need to contact Livanta if you live in any of these states to make a Medicare complaint. Visit https://livantaqio.com/en or contact the local number to file a complaint or appeal.

• Arizona – 1−877−588−1123; 1−855−887−6668 (TTY)
• California – 1−877−588−1123; 1−855−887−6668 (TTY)
• Delaware – 1−888−396−4646; 1−888−985−2660 (TTY)
• District of Columbia – 1−888−396−4646; 1−888−985−2660 (TTY)
• Hawaii – 1−877−588−1123; 1−855−887−6668 (TTY)
• Illinois – 1−888−524−9900; 1−888−985−8775 (TTY)
• Indiana – 1−888−524−9900; 1−888−985−8775 (TTY)
• Iowa – 1−888−524−9900; 1−888−985−8775 (TTY)
• Kansas – 1−888−524−9900; 1−888−985−8775 (TTY)
• Kentucky – 1−888−524−9900; 1−888−985−8775 (TTY)
• Maryland – 1−888−396−4646; 1−888−985−2660 (TTY)
• Michigan – 1−888−524−9900
• Minnesota – 1−888−524−9900; 1−888−985−8775 (TTY)
• Missouri – 1−888−755−5580; 1−888−985−9295 (TTY)
• Nebraska – 1−888−755−5580; 1−888−985−9295 (TTY)
• Nevada – 1−877−588−1123; 1−855−887−6668 (TTY)
• New Jersey – 1−866−815−5440; 1−866−868−2289 (TTY)
• New York – 1−866−815−5440; 1−866−868−2289 (TTY)
• Ohio – 1−888−524−9900; 1−888−985−8775 (TTY)
• Pennsylvania – 1−888−396−4646; 1−888−985−2660 (TTY)
• Puerto Rico – 1−866−815−5440; 1−866−868−2289 (TTY); 787−520−5743 (local)
• Virgin Islands – 1−866−815−5440; 1−866−868−2289 (TTY); 340−773−6334 (local)
• Virginia – 1−866−815−5440; 1−866−868−2289 (TTY); 340−773−6334 (local)
• West Virginia – 1−888−396−4646; 1−888−985−2660 (TTY)
• Wisconsin – 1−888−524−9900; 1−888−985−8775 (TTY)

Conclusion

The best way to avoid filing a complaint is by resolving the issue with your doctor or hospital as soon as possible. However, if they are unhelpful and you have exhausted all other avenues, there are various agencies that can help you file a formal complaint. They include: 

• State health departments (usually called health boards)
• Joint Commission (JCAHO),
• Medicaid
• Medicare

Making a complaint could take more time and effort which could be better spent trying to work out an agreement with your physician.

That being said, your health is the most important thing. If you are not satisfied with your medical treatment, you should file a complaint regardless of how long it takes to get resolved. 

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