Patient complaints are inevitable. And when a patient complaint is not effectively managed, unfavorable or harmful consequences can result—noncompliance, dissolving of the patient-physician relationship, litigation, or reduced compensation. Therefore, strong complaint management is a core component for success worth cultivating and honing.

1. What every
physician
needs to know:
tips for handling patient
complaints

2. 1 embrace the
opportunity
• For medical practices, a patient’s complaint is an
opportunity to understand the patient’s experience. Use
the information to improve the practice and the patient-
physician relationship.

3. 2 be proactive
• Ways to manage or reduce complaints include:
creating procedures on how complaints are handled;
tracking complaints and outcomes; and initiating
communication skills training for staff and physicians.

4. 3 location
• Find the right place to discuss the complaint with
the patient. An office or exam room is better than the
waiting room or check-out area.

5. listen
4• Use active listening skills and put away any distractions
such as a phone, patient chart, or computer. Be mindful
of nonverbal communication, such as facial expressions,
gestures, and posture. Let the patient share his or her
complaint without interruption.

6. empathize
5• Showing empathy does not mean that you agree with
the patient’s complaint; agree to the patient’s terms
of resolution; or admit guilt or wrongdoing. Offering
statements of empathy (such as, “I understand that this
is important to you”) reinforces that you are hearing
and acknowledging the patient’s concerns.

7. empathize
• Once the patient perceives he or she is understood
then emotions will likely settle. This allows you to better
negotiate a reasonable solution. Be mindful of tone
when offering statements of empathy so you don’t come
across as sarcastic or condescending.
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8. Clarify
• Try to understand the situation and identify the root of
the problem. Identifying and understanding the real
concern will help you resolve the complaint.
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9. 6• Ask clarifying questions, such as “Would you tell
me more about that?” To help acknowledge your
understanding of the patient’s complaint, reflect or
re-state the complaint back to the patient with the
statement, “What I am hearing you say is . . .”
Clarify

10. 6• Suggest solutions that you or a staff member can attain.
Ask the patient to approve the solution: “Is that okay
with you?” If time is needed to resolve the complaint,
ask if you can follow up in a set number of days or
weeks.
clarify

11. 7• Thank the patient for notifying you of the concern.
Remind the patient that his or her satisfaction is
important and reiterate your intention to resolve any
issues.
appreciate

12. 7• Keep in mind that if one of your patients has a complaint,
there may be others experiencing the same issues who
have not come forward. Your patient is actually doing you
a favor in helping to solve problems that may affect other
patients.
appreciate

13. 8• After discussing the complaint, summarize the
conversation and any agreed upon resolutions. Record
the information in a complaint tracking system.
document

14. 9• Tracking complaints can help identify patterns that may
stem from the same physician, employee, situation, time
of day, or day of week.
track

15. 9• Ongoing review of complaints should be a standard
process. Having a process in place can reassure patients
that the physician and medical practice are committed to
addressing concerns.
track

16. 10• At times, successful resolution of a complaint may not
occur. When a physician is faced with this situation and
the patient continues to complain, the physician may
choose to dissolve the patient-physician relationship.
continued
complaints

17. 10• When patients are abusive or threatening, it is
appropriate to dismiss them from the practice. Physicians
will want to follow appropriate steps when planning to
terminate the physician-patient relationship. (Click to read, “What
Every Physician Needs to Know: Terminating the Physician-Patient Relationship)
continued
complaints

18. protection for
a new era of
medicine
about tmlt:
With more than 19,000 health care professinals in its care, Texas Medical
Liability Trust (TMLT) provides malpractice insurance and related products
to physicians. Our purpose is to make a positive impact on the quality of
health care for patients by educating, protecting, and defending physicians.
www.tmlt.org
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