New York City Council is considering a bill that would establish a patient-advocate office for city residents to file complaints about anything related to healthcare facilities, providers or insurance, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Currently healthcare complaints are siloed in various government offices, according to the report. The state health department takes feedback on hospitals and primary care clinics, but complaints on specific physicians go to a separate Office of Professional Misconduct. The Department of Financial Services handles insurance coverage issues. And psychiatric care complaints go to the Office of Mental Health, but addiction program complaints go to the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services.
The new office would provide a single resource for consumers to report issues or find information. It would also help the city compile care complaints and monitor them for trends, according to the report.
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