How to file a complaint
Here’s whom to contact should you want to file a complaint against a California nursing home or hospital.
California Department of Public Health
To contact the licensing and certification division of the California Department of Public Health, which is the state regulator for hospitals and nursing homes, call (323) 869-8500 or (800) 228-1019 for the Los Angeles district office.
To file a complaint, call (800) 236-9747 or go online to the organization’s
Health Consumer Information Systems
. A complaint form is on the information page of each hospital or long-term care facility.
To appeal, write to the deputy director at California Department of Public Health, Center for Healthcare Quality, P.O. Box 997377, Sacramento, CA 95899-7377.
California Department of Aging
The state ombudsman program assists with nursing home complaints. Call either the crisis line at (800) 231-4024 or the local ombudsman office. In Los Angeles, the WISE & Healthy Aging Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program can be reached at (310) 393-3618 or (800) 334-9473.
One final appeal can be made within 15 days of the conference if you are unsatisfied with the decision. Write to the deputy director at California Department of Public Health, Center for Healthcare Quality, P.O. Box 997377, Sacramento, CA 95899-7377. The deputy director’s staff will review the case and make a final determination within 30 days.
The
CAHNR site
offers more information and a sample complaint form.
LA County WISE & Healthy Aging Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
Call (310) 393-3618 or (800) 334-9473.
Joint Commission
The not-for-profit agency licenses hospitals and long-term care facilities. Contact its Office of Quality Monitoring at One Renaissance Blvd., Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181, or at
https://www.jointcommission.org/GeneralPublic/Complaint.
Or e-mail complaint@jointcommission.org. Phone numbers are (630) 792-5636, (800) 994-6610, 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific time.
California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform
This office assists with the complaint process for long-term care facilities. Call (415) 974-5171or e-mail
https://www.canhr.org.
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