Complaints and disputes

Complaints procedure DOKh A good relationship between you and your doctor is important. Unfortunately, sometimes things happen that disturb this relationship. You are dissatisfied, you have a complaint. Below you can read what you can do if you have a problem with your doctor. You read about the possibilities for resolving your complaint and how your complaint is handled within the DOKh complaints procedure.

If you do not want this or if a conversation does not solve the problem, you can contact the independent complaints officer of DOKh directly and free of charge. The complaints officer can advise you, help you formulate your complaint, and mediate between you and your doctor.

You can directly reach the Complaints and Disputes Department of DOKh via:

• Address: Robijnstraat 6, 1812 RB ALKMAAR

• Telephone: 072-520 83 25

• Website: www.dokh.nl

If the mediation does not lead to a satisfactory solution, the complaints officer can support you in a possible next step to the disputes body. "After the judgment on your complaint, you have 6 months to file a dispute."

Coming to a resolution together

First try to discuss and resolve the problem in a personal conversation with your doctor. In many cases, such a conversation can be very enlightening for both parties and the doctor and his organization can learn from your feedback. When requesting such a conversation, indicate that you want to discuss a complaint with your doctor and that you want to reserve more time for it. Your complaint is often resolved in a satisfactory manner for you in this way. If that does not work, your doctor will put you in contact with the DOKh complaints officer.

Complaint reception

You will have a conversation with the complaints officer. You are basically received with your complaint and. You can turn to him or her with your questions, you will receive advice and if necessary help with the written formulation of the complaint. Once your complaint is clear, you and the complaints officer get to work to find a solution. The first option usually chosen is (telephone) complaint mediation. You can indicate to your complaints officer whether you are open to this.

Complaint mediation

Many complaints can be resolved in a conversation where an impartial mediator is present. If both you and your doctor indicate that (telephone) mediation is desired, an initial mediation session will take place within two weeks. The aforementioned complaints officer acts as a mediator. During the mediation sessions, you and your doctor have the opportunity to explain the event(s). When understanding grows mutually, a workable situation often arises again. The ultimate goal of mediation is to restore the trust relationship between you and your doctor.

Judgment formulated by doctor

To conclude the complaint process, the doctor is required to inform you of his/her judgment within 6 weeks of submitting the complaint. A judgment means that it is indicated in writing what decisions he/she has made about and in response to the complaint and what measure(s) are potentially being taken. The 6-week period can be extended by a maximum of four weeks if you are notified of this in time.

If both parties are satisfied with the judgment, the complaint is then settled. If you are not satisfied and want to continue the complaints procedure, it is a dispute. After the judgment, you have 6 months to decide whether you want to submit the dispute to the disputes body.

Rules of the game

• The assistance of the complaints officer, complaint mediation, and complaint handling are free of charge for you.

• Mediation is only successful if both parties agree. ● Mediation is based on mutual respect and trust.

• All parties involved in the process handle your privacy with utmost care and have a duty of confidentiality.

• The full complaints procedure can be downloaded at www.dokh.nl

Can't reach a resolution together with the complaints officer?

If you can't reach a resolution despite the mediation sessions, the complaints officer will support you in a possible next step. Your complaint then becomes a dispute.

Foundation DOKh Complaints and Disputes Department

Robijnstraat 6, 1812 RB ALKMAAR

Tel: 072-520 83 25

Website: www.dokh.nl