4 Patient concerns resolution process
5 Patient concerns officer
6 Publication
7 Expiry
8 Coming into force
Definitions
1 In this Regulation,
(a) “administrative
head” means the administrative head of a health authority within the meaning of
the Ombudsman Act;
(b) “complaint”
means a complaint made under section 2;
(c) “health
authority” means
(i) the Alberta Cancer Board,
(ii) a regional health authority, and
(iii) a provincial health board established under section 17 of the Regional
Health Authorities Act for the purpose of delivering health services;
(d) “patient”
means an individual who has received, is receiving or who has requested health
services from a health authority or a service provider;
(e) “patient
concerns officer” means an individual appointed by a health authority under
section 3(b);
(f) “service
provider” means any person who provides goods or services under the direction,
control or authority of a health authority.
Complaint to health
authority
2(1) A
patient or a person acting on behalf of a patient or in the interest of a
patient may make a complaint to a health authority in accordance with the
patient concerns resolution process established by the health authority if the
patient or person has concerns regarding
(a) the
provision of goods and services to the patient,
(b) a
failure or refusal to provide goods and services to the patient, or
(c) the
terms and conditions under which goods and services are provided to the
patient,
by the health
authority or by a service provider under the direction, control or authority of
that health authority.
(2) Nothing in this section prevents a
health authority or service provider from addressing a concern raised by a
patient or other person before the patient or person has made a complaint under
the health authority’s patient concerns resolution process.
Duties of health
authorities
3 A health authority must
(a) establish
and maintain a patient concerns resolution process in accordance with this
Regulation, and
(b) appoint
one or more patient concerns officers who
(i) report directly to the administrative head of the health
authority or to a senior officer who reports directly to the administrative
head, and
(ii) are responsible for receiving and dealing with complaints.
Patient concerns
resolution process
4 A patient concerns resolution process
must
(a) provide
a fair process for managing complaints,
(b) include
a written process describing the means by which complaints are received,
processed, considered and responded to,
(c) provide
that the health authority must attempt in good faith to resolve complaints
within a reasonable time,
(d) provide
that complaints to the patient concerns officer may be made orally or in
writing,
(e) provide
that a written record is to be made of complaints made orally to the patient
concerns officer,
(f) provide
for the rejection of frivolous or vexatious complaints, and
(g) provide
for the redirection of complaints to other organizations or persons that have
the authority to address them.
Patient concerns
officer
5 A patient concerns officer must
(a) be
reasonably available to respond to complaints and to assist patients, and
persons acting on behalf of or in the interest of patients, who want to use the
patient concerns resolution process,
(b) facilitate
the timely, expeditious and efficient management of complaints,
(c) inform
complainants about
(i) other persons or organizations that may have authority to address
the complaint, and
(ii) the authority of the Ombudsman in relation to the patient
concerns resolution process,
(d) co‑operate
with the patient concerns officers of any other health authority involved in
the complaint,
(e) give
notice of a complaint to a service provider that is responsible for the goods
or services that are the subject of the complaint, and
(f) prepare
a written statement regarding the outcome of each complaint made under the
patient concerns resolution process.
Publication
6 A health authority must make available to
patients and the public written information about the patient concerns
resolution process established in accordance with this Regulation, the patient
concerns officers to whom complaints can be made and how complaints may be
made.
Expiry
7 For the purpose of ensuring that this
Regulation is reviewed for ongoing relevancy and necessity, with the option
that it may be repassed in its present or an amended form following a review,
this Regulation expires on March 15, 2016.
Coming into force
8 This Regulation comes into force on the
date on which sections 15 and 16 of the Ombudsman Amendment Act, 2003
come into force.
