Do you have a complaint about your doctor? What next?

A good relationship between you and your doctor is important. Sometimes, unfortunately, things happen that disrupt this relationship. You are dissatisfied, you have a complaint. Below you can read what you can do if you have a problem with your doctor. You can read about the options for resolving your complaint and how your complaint is dealt with within DOKh's complaints procedure.

Coming out together

First, try to discuss and resolve the problem in a face-to-face meeting with your doctor. In many cases, such a conversation can be very enlightening for both parties and the doctor and his organisation can learn from your feedback. When requesting such a conversation, indicate that you want to discuss a complaint with your doctor and that you want to set aside some more time for this. This will often resolve your complaint in a way that is satisfactory to you. If this fails, your doctor will put you in touch with DOKh's complaints officer.

Complaint reception

You will have a meeting with the complaints officer. This person catches you and your complaint, as it were. You can ask him or her questions, get advice and, if necessary, help with formulating the complaint in writing. Once your complaint is clear, you will work with the complaints officer to find a solution. The first option usually chosen is (telephone) complaint mediation. You can indicate to your complaints officer whether you are open to this.

Complaint mediation

Many complaints can be resolved in a conversation where an impartial mediator sits at the table. If both you and your doctor indicate that (telephone) mediation is desired, an initial mediation meeting will follow within two weeks. The aforementioned complaints officer acts as mediator. During the mediation talks, you and your doctor will have the opportunity to explain
on the event(s). As mutual understanding grows, a workable situation often emerges again. The ultimate goal of mediation is to restore the relationship of trust between you and your doctor.

Judgement formulated by doctor

To complete the complaint process, the doctor is obliged to inform you of his/her opinion within six weeks of filing the complaint. An opinion means a written statement of what decisions he/she has made about and as a result of the complaint and what measure(s), if any, will be taken. The six-week period can be extended to a maximum
by four weeks, if you are notified in time. If both parties are satisfied with the verdict, this will settle the complaint. If you are not satisfied and wish to continue the complaint procedure, then it is a dispute. After the
judgment, you have six months to decide whether you want to submit the dispute to the dispute resolution body.

Game rules

• Help from the complaints officer, complaint mediation and complaint handling are free of charge for you.
• Mediation is successful only when both parties agree on this.
• Mediation is based on mutual respect and trust.
• All those involved in the process take the utmost care with your privacy and have a
  duty of confidentiality.
• The full complaints procedure can be downloaded at www.dokh.nl.

Are you unable to come to an agreement with the complaints officer?

If, despite the mediation talks, you cannot reach a solution, the complaints officer will support you
at any next step. Your complaint will then become a dispute. For more information the DOKh website.

DOKh Foundation
Complaints and Disputes Department
Ruby Street 6
1812 RB ALKMAAR
Tel: 072 – 520 83 25 (daily from 09:00 to 15:00)
Email: klachtenengeschillen@dokh.nl
Website: www.dokh.nl