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Frequently Asked
Complaint Process Questions
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Q. I would rather not let my doctor know I am complaining to the Board. Do you accept anonymous complaints?
Q. Is there a time limit for filing my complaint?
Q. My doctor told me that she does not want me as a patient any more. Can she suddenly terminate me?
Q. Are chaperones required during an examination?
Q. What happens if the doctor does not respond to the Board about my complaint?
Q. Can the doctor refuse to provide me copies of my medical records because of an outstanding balance for medical treatment?
Q. I would rather not let my doctor know I
am complaining to the Board. Do you accept anonymous complaints?
A. Anonymous complaints are very difficult to investigate.
Unless clear and specific information is provided, such as patient
names or record numbers and dates and types of treatment, the Board
is unable to open the complaint. However, the information will be
maintained on an internal (nonpublic) database, for possible use in
a future investigation.
Q. Is there a time limit for filing my complaint?
A. The Board, as a rule, does not investigate any complaint
based on an event occurring more than six years prior to its being
filed at the Board. Board regulation 243 CMR 1.03 (16), on stale matters,
gives the Board discretion to extend this time limit, but it does
so rarely.
Q. My doctor told me that she does not want
me as a patient any more. Can she suddenly terminate me?
A. As long as you are not in the midst of an acute problem
for which lack of immediate follow-up would be dangerous to your health,
the doctor can terminate the relationship. Although not required by
law, the protocol recommended in these situations is that the doctor
provide the patient with a list of referral doctors and continue to
see the patient for emergencies for thirty days following the termination.
Q. Are chaperones required during an examination?
A. Actually, there is no regulation concerning this issue.
The Board strongly suggests, however, that a female chaperone be present,
for the comfort and protection of both the patient and the physician,
particularly when a male physician is performing a gynecological exam.
Q. What happens if the doctor does not respond
to the Board about my complaint?
A. If the doctor does not respond to the Board's initial or
follow-up inquiries regarding a complaint, another case may be opened
by the Board on that issue alone. As the licensing agency for physicians,
the Board takes such a failure very seriously, and can and has disciplined
physicians simply for not responding.
Q. Can the doctor refuse to provide me copies
of my medical records because of an outstanding balance for medical
treatment?
A. No. The physician can require that copying costs be paid
(up to $0.25 per page and up to $20.00 for clerical time) before they
are released, but payment for medical care is a separate issue. (See
the Board's brochure on medical records for more information.)
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