Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 48 - PUBLIC HEALTH-GENERAL › Part III - Mental Health Services › Chapter 3 - Client Services › Section III-309 - Patient and Consumer Complaint Policy and Procedures

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. Policy Statement. It is the policy of the
				Office of Mental Health to promote and protect the rights of patients
				consistent with a concern for human dignity, respect, and quality care; to
				respond promptly and effectively to consumer concerns, inquiries, and
				complaints; and to promote and evaluate consumer satisfaction with services
				provided.
B. Definitions
Agency
- Office of Mental Health.
Assistant Secretary
- the Assistant
				  Secretary of the Office of Mental Health.
Chief Executive Officer
- the manager of an
				  inpatient facility.
Complaint
- verbal or written expression of
				  concern or statement challenging patient care, behavior, action or inaction on
				  the part of the facility staff and/or facility, an allegation of a rights
				  violation, or an expression of dissatisfaction with services which requires
				  further action. This may include dissatisfaction with departmental or agency
				  policy.
Complainant
- an individual who expresses
				  dissatisfaction.
Consumer
- patient; parent, friend,
				  relative, or guardian of a patient; advocacy group; or other interested citizen
				  and/or agency.
Facility
- any inpatient or outpatient
				  structure under the management or through contract with the Office of Mental
				  Health.
Designee
- an individual who has been
				  designated the responsibility to resolve patient and consumer complaints by the
				  chief executive officer or facility manager who reports directly to the chief
				  executive officer or facility manager.
Facility Administrator
- chief executive
				  officer, facility manager, or executive administrator, as applicable.
Mental Health Advocate
- an attorney from
				  the Office of the Governor, Mental Health Advocacy Service, who is either
				  housed or rotates to a facility.
Regional Office
- the administrative unit
				  that has the responsibility for managing the service delivery system with an
				  assigned geographic area consistent with agency policies.
State Office
- the executive office of the
				  agency where the assistant secretary and his staff is located.
C. Process of Resolution
1. The employee who is initially made aware
				of a complaint should attempt a resolution and advise supervisor of
				action.
2. The facility
				administrator or his designee shall discuss the nature of the concern with the
				complainant. If it is determined that the complaint requires further formal
				action, a complaint form (see Appendix B) will be completed which describes the
				situation in detail. The form shall be signed by both the complainant and the
				facility administrator.
3. The
				facility administrator or his designee will take whatever action is
				appropriate: investigative; corrective; or educational.
4. The complainant will be requested to
				acknowledge in writing his/her satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the
				resolution.
5. If the complainant
				is satisfied, the record will be closed and filed at the facility for future
				reference. All records shall be confidential.
6. If a resolution is not reached at the
				facility level, a copy of all compiled information shall be forwarded to the
				regional manager who will address the problem by repeating Steps 2 through 5.
				(Inpatient facilities will proceed to Step 7.)
7. If, at this point, there is no resolution,
				all information shall be forwarded to the assistant secretary of the Office of
				Mental Health.