ABA Family Legal Guide

Health-Care Law

Regulating Health-Care Professionals

Licensing of Doctors, Nurses, and Hospitals

Can I file a complaint with licensing authorities about a health-care professional?

Each state has a medical board and other boards in charge of licensing, investigating complaints, and disciplining doctors and other health-care professionals. You can look in the telephone book or do an online search, using a search such as the name of your state medical board. The medical board or other board will tell you how to get a complaint form to begin the process. Some boards put this form on their website and you can print it from there. Be sure to fill out the form completely and clearly. This form will ask you to sign a release allowing the board to look at your medical records. You are not required to sign this, but without looking at your records, the board may not be able to investigate your complaint fully. Some states require that your complaint form be notarized, which would require your name on the form.