PORTLAND, Oregon — Doctors have a professional and ethical duty to provide a high standard of care for their patients. If you believe your doctor may have violated state law, you have the legal right to file a complaint with the Oregon Medical Board (OMB).
Here are guidelines on when you should file a complaint and how to do so.
When to file a complaint
The Oregon Medical Board will only investigate complaints when a physician allegedly violated state law. Below are examples of circumstances the OMB may investigate, according to its website:
- Quality of care; inappropriate or substandard care
- Impaired physician or other licensee
- Inappropriate prescribing
- Inappropriate relationship with patient or patient family member
- Inappropriate boundaries by a physician or other licensee
- Criminal activity (also report to enforcement)
How to file a complaint
The OMB requires that all complaints be submitted in writing. You can file a complaint by printing and filling out this complaint form, or by submitting a letter to the board.
If you’re writing a letter, it must include the following details, according to OMB’s website:
- Full name of the Board licensee you’re filing the complaint about
- Patient’s name, mailing address, phone number and date of birth
- If you aren’t the patient, include your name, address and phone number
- A detailed description of the incident you’re filing a complaint about. Include the date(s) when it happened and where
- Include the names of any other doctors who treated the patient before or after the incident
Click here for OMB's complaint form
Both written letters and complaint forms can be mailed to the following address:
Oregon Medical Board
1500 SW 1st Ave., Suite 620
Portland, OR 97201
What does the complaint process look like?
All complaints are entered into an electronic database and will be preliminarily reviewed by OMB’s intake committee. If there appears to be a potential violation of the law that the OMB could take formal action against, the case will be assigned an investigator.
The investigator will work with the medical director and the investigations manager to gather additional information including medical or pharmacy records, or relevant details from other healthcare providers or witnesses. The investigations manager, medical director and executive director review all gathered information before presenting it to the Investigative Committee.
The medical board will decide whether to take disciplinary action. You may receive updates on the status of the investigation and a letter notifying you about how the case closed.
There is no set deadline for OMB investigations. Some may be resolved in a few months while others could take over a year, depending on the complexity of the case.
What are the outcomes of an investigation?
Less than 10% of complaints lead to discipline, according to OMB’s website. Some complaints result in a confidential letter that goes into the doctor’s file.
Here are some of the outcomes of an investigation, according to OMB’s website:
- Closed with no formal action: There was not enough evidence of a violation.
- Closed with no formal action and a Letter of Concern: There was not enough evidence of a violation, but the Board sent a confidential letter about its concerns over some part of the care or conduct.
- Closed Action Agreement: The Board and the medical provider came to an agreement. The provider agrees to take certain steps like taking educational classes.
- Stipulated Order: The Board takes disciplinary action. The provider must follow certain terms or conditions that may include suspensions, fines, reprimands and educational classes.
- Hearing with disciplinary action: Disciplinary action may include license suspension or revocation, fines, reprimands and education.
