Healthcare Resolutions
About
The Healthcare Resolutions Program helps ensure organizational transparency when unanticipated clinical outcomes or errors in Military Treatment Facilities (MTF), building trust in the Defense Health Agency.
Patient Issues
Healthcare Resolutions addresses clinically complex healthcare issues such as:
- Dissatisfaction with treatment results or quality of care
- Unexpected/adverse outcomes of care
- Medical errors
- Misdiagnosis or delays in diagnosis
- Unexpected death
- Inability to communicate well with providers
Goals
The goals of Healthcare Resolutions are to:
- Resolve complex health care disputes, issues, and concerns at the lowest level, directly, and at the earliest opportunity and in a private, neutral setting.
- Provide a liaison and mediation for patients, health care providers, and the military treatment facility to address clinical concerns not resolved by primary resources (Customer Relations/Patient Advocates).
- Ensure patients, family members, and providers have an opportunity to provide input into process improvement initiatives.
- Promote organizational transparency by assisting the MTF in providing timely disclosure of unanticipated outcomes or medical errors thus enhancing patient-provider relationships/partnerships.
- Share any unexpected outcomes of care or medical errors openly and honestly, identifying potential system weaknesses, with patients and families.
Guiding Principles
- Confidentiality. Your identity is never shared without your permission.
- Neutrality and Impartiality. We do not take sides in a dispute. Healthcare Resolutions aims to achieve the best possible outcome for all.
- Independence. We operate across all levels of the MTF and will address any party about issues needing their attention.
- Informality. We use candid and direct problem-solving processes to resolve disputes. Using the Healthcare Resolutions Program does not limit your right to pursue formal or legal processes.
How does the Healthcare Resolutions Program help resolve issues?
- Conducts informal fact finding, facilitates open communication between parties, and offers fair and equitable solutions
- Communicates with patients and providers about quality of care issues; may enable mediation sessions with patients and providers
- Negotiates and reasons to analyze situations; recommends appropriate actions for solutions, while ensuring all parties understand their options and the processes involved.
- In some cases, the MTF leadership is informed about developing issues, while staying confidential and neutral.
Who can use the Healthcare Resolutions Program?
If you have a quality of care concern, we urge you to first discuss the issue with the staff member or clinical area at your military treatment facility. Many times, concerns can be addressed immediately.
The Healthcare Resolutions Program is available to all patients, beneficiaries, next of kin, and health care personnel assigned to the facility. We accept referrals from any beneficiary or staff member experiencing clinically complex patient care issues. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact our office.