| A new Washington state law allows the public to obtain information about complaints against hospitals, complaint investigations, resolutions and licensing inspections. House Bill 1711 was signed it into law in March.
Previously, a person who filed a complaint against a hospital had no way to obtain the results of an investigation because state law prohibited the release of the information. With the new law, the Washington state Department of Health can disclose similar complaints filed against a hospital and will be able to release the results of an investigation three days after the investigation is complete.
Another part of the bill that will help consumers establishes a Department of Health Hospital Complaint Hotline at (888) 633-6828. All hospitals will be required to post the phone number on their premises so the public will know where to call if they have a complaint. |
