How to Make a Medical Complaint - Pt 4: Links, Contacts & Resources
Resources for Making a Medical Complaint in AB, Canada
This is the resource guide for our 3 part blog series on How to Make a Medical Complaint in Alberta.
Before moving ahead with any medical complaint, to ensure action is taken as quickly as possible and you are taken seriously, we strongly recommend that you first review our step by step guide on how to properly make a formal medical complaint in Alberta specific to your circumstances.
The resources for the above-mentioned blog series are listed below.
How to obtain your hospital or facility health records
Only the patient, the legal Agent or the estate Executor (if the patient has died) can request these documents, and it is one of the most significant reasons to get these documents in place. Learn more
To obtain records from private physicians or facilities, contact their office administration.
Alberta Health Services documentation is obtained by contacting the Health Information/Records Management Department of the involved facility.
Reporting a death
Anyone can report a death to the Alberta Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) that they believe meets the reporting requirements under the Fatal Inquiries Act to be investigated by an independent body.
For initial reports of new deaths that are unexpected or unexplained, the public is to call 911 and the police will report the death to the OCME. Expected deaths are guided by the Primary Physician.
Most deaths are reported to the OCME by police, AB Ambulance Service and hospitals or long-term care homes.
However, family members, friends, witnesses or others who believe death meets the requirements of the The Fatal Inquiries Act may also report a death. The case will be assigned to the Chief Medical Examiner who will perform a preliminary examination of the facts to determine whether the death meets the criteria for a full investigation.
Care in hospital: Patient Care Quality offices
For questions or concerns about care, treatment and standards of accommodation received by a patient in a hospital Patient Relations Department of Alberta Health Services or Covenant Health, depending on the facility.
Alberta Health Services Patient Concerns Resolution Process (PCRP)
Serves all Alberta Health services and Hospitals includes Cancer Facilities, Emergency Health Services, Women’s and Children’s Hospitals and Center for Disease Control.
Contact the AHS Patient Relations Department by telephone, fax or mail:
Telephone: 1-855-550-2555
Fax: 1-877-871-4340
Mailing address only: c/o Patient Relations 10030 107 Street NW Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4
According to their website, once they hear from you, a Patient Concerns Consultant (PCC) will be in touch by phone within three business days. This person will clarify the details of your concern, and staff will work with you to resolve the concern.
If your concern is not resolved by a PCC, you can request your concern be reviewed by the Patient Concerns Officer (PCO), who is the Executive Director of the Patient Relations Department and oversees the PCRP. The PCO will ask a Senior Consultant to review your concern and determine if the resolution process has been followed as per policy and regulations or if there are other outcomes to resolve your concern.
To have a PCO review your concern, contact 1-855-550-2555 or Patient Relations, and discuss elevating your concern with the PCC assigned to your concern or his or her manager. Please note that the PCC must have completed investigating the concern prior to it being accepted for a PCO review.
Covenant Health
Covenant Health Patient Relations Online Form
Email: patient.relations@covenanthealth.ca
Phone: 587.689.2777 (toll-free in Alberta)
Mailing address:
Suite 730, One Twelve Campus
10130 112 Street NW
Edmonton, AB T5K 2K4
EMS Ambulance concerns & complaints
Residential Care concerns & complaints
Continuing Care Licensing in Alberta investigates complaints about the health and safety of residents in assisted living or long-term care facilities.
If you have gone through the complaint process internally and your issue is still not resolved, you can contact an intake officer:
Toll free: 1-888-357-9339, option 3
Fax: 780-644-8729
Email: cclo@gov.ab.ca
Address:
Alberta Health
Attn: Continuing Care Licensing Office
PO Box 1360, Station Main
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2N3
Concerns about accommodation standards, continuing care health services standards or licensing:
Continuing Care Licensing Office
Phone: 780-644-8428
Toll-free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Fax: 780-644-8729
Email: cclo@gov.ab.ca
Address:
Alberta Health
Attn: Licensing and Compliance Monitoring Branch
PO Box 1360, Station Main
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2N3
Vulnerable persons in care
Call 911 if you or someone you know is being abused and is in immediate danger. The Protection for Persons in Care Act (PPC Act) requires the reporting of abuse and promotes the prevention of abuse involving adult clients who receive publicly funded care or support services. Namely, those receiving care or support for hospice (end-of-life care), mental health and substance use, long-term care (also known as extended care or residential care), community living for people with developmental disabilities, and acquired injury.
The PPC Act requires service providers to take reasonable steps to protect clients from abuse while providing care or support services. Learn more: Protection for Person in Care
Health Professional conduct & competence
For questions or concerns about the care provided by a health professional, first discuss it with that health professional or their direct supervisor.
If this doesn't resolve the matter, or if your concerns are about the health professional’s conduct or competence, contact the health profession's regulatory body. Regulatory bodies ensure their members meet acceptable standards for competence and conduct, including ethical conduct. These regulatory bodies can also provide contact information for their members if you are having trouble finding a practitioner for services.
College of Registered Nurses of Alberta
CRNA reviews all complaints about all registered nurses and nurse practitioners, currently or formerly registered to practice in Alberta.
College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta
CLPNA reviews complaints about all registered licensed practical nurses currently or formerly registered to practice in Alberta.
Alberta Health Care Aide Directory.
HCA Directory ensures credentials and competencies, and fields any complaints with respect to Health Care Aides in Alberta.
College of Midwives of Alberta
CMA regulates the midwifery profession, ensuring credentials are achieved and maintained, members are competent and fields and resolves any complaints received.
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta
All physicians and surgeons who are licensed to practice in Alberta are registrants of the College. However, a complaint to the CPSA is not an immediate course of action and is not appropriate if there are concerns with current or ongoing care.
Complaints to the CPSA can take place at the same time as legal action. Any legal action must be submitted to the courts within 2 years of the date of the negligence or death, so if you feel that you have a legal case, seek out legal counsel early.
“Submitting a complaint with the College can lead to better health and well-being for all patients. We encourage people to share their concerns about a physician or surgeon’s (registrant’s) professionalism or clinical competence if they think there is a risk to the public.”
Alberta Ombudsman
The Office of the Ombudsman of Alberta is a separate agency that takes concerns and complaints regarding any and all government agencies. Reach out to them if you disagree with a decision that was made.
Note: the Office will instruct you to go through the complaints process with the AHS or Covenant Health Patient Relations Department, then to escalate it to the PCO of the same department, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, and/or the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta, the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta, College of Midwives of Alberta or the Health Care Aide Directory before they will hear and consider your complaint – but they are there to guide you through those complaint processes.
Online Complaint Form
In conclusion
When making a formal medical complaint:
Be logical, but stay angry and motivated.
Be assertive and follow up, follow up, and follow up some more.
You can make a difference.
Links & Resources
Blog 1: Should I Make a Medical Complaint?
Credits to Connie Jorsvik of PatientPathways.ca
Edited and adapted by Corinne Hewko for the Alberta healthcare system
