As a patient of St. Francis Medical Center, our goal is to provide care that is considerate and respectful of your rights and needs as a patient. If a concern should develop while you are in our medical center, we will make every effort to help resolve it in a timely manner.

We encourage you and your family to inform us of any concerns you may have about the service and the care you receive. We are committed to addressing your concerns promptly. Bringing a concern to our attention will not, in any manner, serve to compromise your care or future access to the services at St. Francis Medical Center. It is important for you to ask questions and participate in your treatment plan whenever possible. We value and respect your role in making decisions regarding your care. You may speak with your physician, nurse or any other member of your healthcare team about your issues and concerns. In the event you do not feel satisfied with their response, you may contact the Patient Advocate's office at 310-900-8572.

The Patient Advocate is available if you have a special need, questions regarding your rights as a patient, or if your treatment and care are not provided to your satisfaction. The Patient Advocate may be reached at 310-900-8572. The Patient Advocate’s office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. For assistance at other times call the administrative House Supervisor at 310-900-7800.

If You Have a Concern

1. If you have a concern with the hospital, you may call the Patient Advocate at 310- 900-8572 or e-mail SFMCPatientAdvocate@dochs.org.  You may also visit the Patient Advocate office which is located on the 2nd floor of the Patient Tower. The Patient Advocate will review your concern and provide you with a written response within 30 days. The written response will contain the name of a person to contact at the hospital, the steps taken to investigate the concern, the results of the investigation and the date of completion. Concerns regarding quality of care or premature discharge will also be referred to the appropriate Utilization and Quality Control Peer Review Organization.
2. You may file a complaint with the California Department of Public Health regardless of whether you use the hospital's grievance process. The California Department of Public Health’s address and phone number are: 5555 Ferguson Dr., Suite 320, Commerce, CA 90022 (Phone: 323-869-8209).
3. If your concerns are not resolved through the hospital, you may contact the Joint Commission's Office of Quality Monitoring to report any concerns or register a complaint by calling 1-800-994-6610 or emailing complaint@jointcommission.org.