If you have a question or concern about the conduct of your regulated healthcare provider, if you are able, you should discuss it with the practitioner in question directly. Immediate and direct communication can often resolve misunderstandings quickly and easily. 

If the problem is not resolved or you are not comfortable discussing your concern directly with your provider, contact their regulatory college.

Colleges take concerns and complaints about the conduct of healthcare professionals very seriously. To make a complaint contact the College responsible for that practitioner. Colleges will collect information about your complaint or concern. To make a formal complaint you may be required to submit it in writing. The College will provide you with the information you need to do so.  A list of Colleges, including links to their website, is available here.

Colleges have the authority to investigate complaints. Following the investigation, the matter may be referred to a disciplinary committee. Disciplinary committees made up of members of the profession as well as public members appointed by the government. If standards were not met or a practitioner behaved improperly, the College has the authority to take a variety of corrective or disciplinary actions to help ensure the situation isn’t repeated.

Actions taken will depend on the nature and severity of the situation. Some examples of disciplinary actions include:

• formal reprimands; 
• imposing conditions on a practitioner’s license (e.g., must practice under supervision);
• ordering the practitioner to complete specialized programs/course; 
• imposing fines and the ability to suspend or terminate the professionals license to practice.

What Colleges don’t have the authority to do is compensate the complainant. All concerns and complaints are treated confidentially, within a process designed to ensure fairness to both the person making the allegation and the practitioner in question.

If you believe your complaint or concern involves sexual abuse or sexual misconduct by a regulated health professional, there is support for you. Please read this information pamphlet to learn more about how you can get help.

If a College does not resolve your complaint to your satisfaction you can contact Alberta’s ombudsman. If your complaint is about a hospital, wait times or the Alberta health care system, please contact Alberta Health.