Procedure for Handling Complaints

Procedure for Handling Complaints at the Clinic of Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecology Zlín

The Clinic of Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecology Zlín handles complaints in accordance with Act No. 372/2011 Coll., on Health Services and the Conditions of Their Provision.

A complaint concerning the clinic’s procedure in providing healthcare services or activities related to healthcare services may be submitted by the patient, the patient’s legal representative or guardian, a person authorised by the patient, or a person close to the patient if, due to the patient’s health condition, the patient is unable to submit the complaint themselves, or if the patient has died.

A complaint is understood as an oral or written objection drawing attention to a possible breach of binding regulations relating to the activities of the clinic. The clinic management aims to ensure patient satisfaction and therefore seeks to handle all complaints objectively, without unnecessary delay, and to use the feedback received to improve the quality of the services we provide. All quality-control measures and activities are designed to prevent situations that could lead to complaints from arising wherever possible.

Time Limit for Submitting Complaints

A complaint may be submitted within 30 days of the provision of the healthcare service or receipt of the examination results.

Grounds for Submitting Complaints

Complaints may concern, in particular, the conduct of clinic staff, failure to comply with arrangements arising from an agreement to perform an examination, failure to meet an agreed deadline, or laboratory examination results.

Methods of Submitting Complaints

• in writing – by post, e-mail, data box, or via the “Contact Us” web form available at www.ivf-zlin.cz
• orally – in person or by telephone

Types of Complaints

Less Serious Complaints

If the matter concerns a minor oral comment regarding the work of a specific person or department, it may be resolved immediately.

The complaint is handled by the staff member concerned or may be referred to the management of the relevant department. General comments may be received and handled by any member of clinic staff.

This type of complaint is not formally recorded unless a written complaint is submitted. If the same complainant repeatedly raises the same or similar complaint, it will always be recorded.

The clinic management is informed of complaints and comments that are not formally recorded during regular operational meetings.

Serious Complaints

These include complaints relating, for example, to examination results or the conduct of clinic staff.

Such complaints are recorded even if they are resolved immediately and are subsequently handled using form F 7.06 – Record of Corrective Action.

Complaints concerning members of staff are handled by the Director of the Clinic or the Operations Manager.

Registration and Handling of Complaints

The following steps are always taken when handling complaints:

• Assessment of the validity of the complaint and investigation of the circumstances that led to it.
  If a complaint is clearly unfounded, the staff member receiving the complaint will forward it to the management of the relevant department for administrative processing.
• Designation of the authorised person responsible for handling the complaint according to its nature.
  A justified complaint that is not specifically addressed or directed to a particular person or department may be received by any member of clinic staff, who will subsequently forward it to the appropriate person or department.
  All written complaints are handled by the Director of the Clinic or a person authorised by the Director.
• Registration and evaluation of the complaint.
  All written and serious complaints are recorded in form F 8.04 – Register of Patient Complaints, which also specifies how each complaint was resolved. The complaint register is kept by the Quality Manager.

The complainant is always informed of how the complaint has been handled. The complainant is entitled to inspect the relevant complaint file and make copies of it.

A written response is always prepared for written complaints.

If the complainant disagrees with the way in which the complaint has been handled, they may submit a complaint to the competent administrative authority that granted the healthcare provider authorisation to provide healthcare services.

Time Limits for Handling Complaints

The time limits for handling complaints are in accordance with applicable legislation and the clinic’s internal regulations, including the Quality Manual and the Laboratory Manual.

If a complaint is not resolved immediately, it must be handled within 30 days of the date on which it was submitted. Within this period, the responsible staff member will inform the complainant of the outcome and the manner in which the complaint has been handled.

If it is not possible to fully resolve the complaint within this period, the complainant will be informed of the progress made to date, for example if an expert opinion is still being prepared.