From Volume 41, Issue 5, June 2014 | Pages 423-427
Patient complaints invariably cause concern and distress. Whilst prevention should be the primary objective, this is not always possible. This final article in the series describes strategies for the management and resolution of complaints, as well as the advantages of good complaint handling.
The number of dental complaints continues to rise1 despite some recent decrease in National Health Service (NHS) complaints.2 Prevention of complaints is always more desirable but cannot always be achieved. Efficient complaint resolution is therefore a necessity. Here are some reasons why:
However, in addition to the obvious need, and obligation, to resolve complaints efficiently, there are also some clear advantages.
The reaction of anybody to a complaint is unlikely to be a positive one. Dentists and their teams are no exception. The first response may well be emotional;4 a mixture of fear, anger, frustration and worry, as well as concerns that the complaint could progress elsewhere. The overall view is essentially negative.
However, good complaint handling can actually provide clear and definite advantages as follows:
To resolve a complaint effectively means firstly finding out what the patient wants. Only then can a response be made. It is often assumed that patients who suffer clinical problems or adverse outcomes form the majority of complainants. However, as mentioned in the first article of this series,5 for both medical and dental treatment non-clinical issues appear to be a major reason for patient dissatisfaction, with approximately 70% of litigation related to poor communication and adverse perceptions.6
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