At the same time, apologies should not be used simply to brush complainants off. An apology, however gracious, without answers or follow-up action and information, is not going to be sufficient response to the most serious complaints, and can too easily be used as an attempt to get everyone off the hook. Complainants usually also want information, an explanation of what happened and why. This explanation must be in a language which the patient can understand. If an explanation attempts to deny the complainant's experience of events, it is unlikely to be accepted.
Explanations can also degenerate into a form of making excuses.
The other side of the coin is that dissatisfied people may not complain if they feel nothing will happen as a result. From your own particular perspective, complaints can be used positively to improve services. The contribution that complaints can make in this way is now part of the conventional wisdom of quality management. Complaints can help identify or confirm individual or system problems. The damage done to the reputation of providers by not responding adequately to complainants has been demonstrated in other service sectors, as have the positive views generated by good complaints handling.