Professional Standards Committee

Medical care is a very personal matter between patient and physician.  Patients differ and treatment approaches may vary.  Discrepancies between what the physician hopes to accomplish and what the patient expects can lead to misunderstandings.  Disagreements on proper care or office policies may also occur.  It is desirable that patients first discuss their questions and concerns with the physician.  But in the event that differences remain, the Medical Society of the District of Columbia offers a means for helping to resolve them.

The Professional Standards Committee of the Medical Society of DC reviews complaints about both members and non-member physicians, regarding services rendered in the District of Columbia.

The Professional Standards Committee considers allegations about

• inappropriate conduct by a physician in relation to an individual patient;

• the compliance of a physician with the accepted standards of medical ethics as outlined in the Opinions of the Judicial Council of the American Medical Association; and/or

• failure to provide quality medical care.

Filing a complaint

Any complaint must be submitted in writing to: Professional Standards Committee, Medical Society of the District of Columbia, 2175 K Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20037.

The complaint should include the name and address of the physician against whom the complaint is being made along with the details of the situation felt to justify the complaint.

The Committee will not consider cases in litigation.

What happens next?

The patient will receive a letter of acknowledgment and will be requested to sign and return a release form.  This enables the Medical Society to provide the physician with a copy of the complaint so that he or she has an opportunity to respond.  It also allows the physician to provide the Committee with information about the care and treatment, including copies of office or hospital medical records.  All information and deliberations on a complaint are maintained with confidentiality.

Once the complaint and a signed release form have been received, the Committee will obtain a specific response from the physician.  Following the initial review, the Committee may ask for further information from the complainant, physician, or both.  This process may require weeks or even months before a decision is reached.  You will be notified in writing of the Committee’s decision.

What result can I expect?

Complainants should understand that the Medical Society’s deliberations are not legal proceedings, rather an attempt to ensure that the physician under review provides good medical care.

After evaluating each complaint, the Committee may decide that the physician’s conduct or care was appropriate, and no disciplinary action is needed. Or, if the physician’s conduct or care is thought to be inappropriate, actions taken can include:

• directing the physician’s attention to the inappropriate conduct or care and strongly recommending that he or she change the behavior or method that gave rise to the complaint;

• requesting that the physician and/or the patient accept a settlement of the issue or disagreement;

• requesting that the physician change the professional practices or methods that gave rise to the complaint; and/or

• recommending sanction against the physician’s Medical Society membership, which can include a reprimand, a variable suspension of membership, or expulsion from the Society.

As a voluntary membership organization, the Medical Society has no direct control over physician licensing.  Serious cases might be referred to the Board of Medicine of the District of Columbia, the official authority for physician licensure.  In cases where the physician under review is not a member of the Medical Society of DC, the decisions are only advisory in nature.  If a non-member physician refuses to respond, or we are otherwise unable to resolve the matter, referral to the Board of Medicine may be warranted.