Reporting a Complaint

How to Report a Complaint

Sometimes, for whatever reasons, a case cannot be developed from your claim. We urge you to file complaints with the appropriate agencies, whether you pursue the case or not. This will help document a history of incidences pertaining to the particular doctor, nurse, medical facility, nursing home or pharmacy. The following links will help you in reporting those claims.

1.South Dakota Department of Health  To file a complaint about poor quality, abuse, or neglect by a health care facility or nurse aide, call or write: Patricia Roger, Complaint Coordinator Office of Health Care Facilities Licensure & Certification South Dakota Department of Health 615 E. 4th St. Pierre, SD 57501 605-773-3356 1-800-738-2301 Describe the incident and give the facility name or nurse aide name, the patient name, and the date and time of the incident. Then, submit your complaint in writing to ensure we understand the issue correctly. You will NOT be identified to the health care facility or to the public. For more information visit their website

2. South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners  The mission of the South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners is to protect the health and welfare of the state's citizens by assuring that only qualified doctors of medicine, doctors of osteopathy, physical therapists, advanced life support personnel, physician assistants, athletic trainers, occupational therapists, respiratory therapists, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, and dietitians are licensed to practice in South Dakota. Complaints should be submitted on the Board’s complaint form online at their website. You will also be able to print a form that can be mailed to: SD Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners 101 N. Main Ave Suite 301 Sioux Falls, SD 57104.

3. South Dakota Board of Nursing  Anyone who believes that a nurse has committed any violation(s) is encouraged to contact the Board of Nursing staff, by phone, fax or mail. Gloria Damgaard, RN, MS Executive Director 4305 South Louise Ave., Suite 201 Sioux Falls, SD 57106-3115 Phone: (605) 362-2760 Fax: (605) 362-2768 Please include the name of the nurse, nature of the complaint, and any other information that would assist the staff in its investigation, including dates, specific activities or practices of concern, witness names, etc. You may choose to remain anonymous; to the extent allowed by law, the Board attempts to maintain the confidentiality of the complainant. Please submit contact information; you will be contacted within a maximum of two weeks to acknowledge that the complaint was received. Information and documents obtained during the Board's investigation remain confidential except where admitted into evidence at a formal disciplinary hearing. The Board of Nursing's Board of Directors meets regularly and as often as necessary to accomplish its mission. As the complainant, you will also be informed of final actions taken by the Board. Note: a complaint concerning a Certified Nurse Aide should be directed to South Dakota Department of Health.

4. Nursing Home Facilities  Complaints or concerns about a nursing home administrator can be filed with the Board. Complaints must be in writing. You can send complaints to: Joyce Vos Executive Secretary PO Box 632 Sioux Falls, SD 57101 Note that the Board’s jurisdiction applies only to the licensed administrator and not the general operation of the nursing care facility. For assistance in addressing concerns or complaints about nursing homes or their care we suggest starting with the Ombudsman’s office at the Department of Social Services, 605-773-3656.

5. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Some of the typical complaints that beneficiaries file with a CMS may be for issues such as: * Received the wrong medication * Underwent inappropriate surgery * Received erroneous dose of medication * Experienced an error in treatment * Received inadequate care or treatment by any healthcare professional * Was discharged too soon * Change in the condition was not treated * Received inadequate discharge instructions Call 1-800-MEDICARE. You will be directed to an individual who will be able to walk you through the process that follows.

6. Pharmacies Complaints or concerns about a pharmacist can be filed with the Board of Pharmacy at: 4305 South Louise Ave. Sioux Falls, SD 57106 Complaints must be in writing. The complaint needs to explain briefly the violation that is believed to have been committed by the pharmacist. The complaint must be signed and the Board must have an address and telephone number where the individual reporting the complaint may be contacted.

7. The Joint Commission The Joint Commission accredits and certifies more than 18,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. To report the details about your complaint to The Joint Commission, use one of the following options: Visit our website. E-mail: complaint@jointcommission.org Fax: (630) 792-5636 Mail: Office of Quality Monitoring The Joint Commission One Renaissance Boulevard Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181 Summarize the issue in two pages or less and include the name and full address of the organization in question. For more information, call The Joint Commission’s toll free number, (800) 994-6610, available weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Central Time.

8. Report a Complaint Directly to the Hospital or Clinic Usually it is a Patient Services representative or the Risk Administration Department who routinely handles complaints. Call or check the facility's web site to see if they have a complaint procedure posted. Otherwise, address your written complaint to the facility, Attention: Risk Management Department. The facility has no legal obligation, however, to respond to the complaint.