Notice of How Patients May File a Complaint with the Texas Medical Board
Complaint Process
Anyone may register a complaint against a practitioner licensed by the Board. Complaints must be
submitted in writing. The identity of complainants is protected and kept confidential by law, with
the exception of complaints filed by insurance and pharmaceutical companies. The Board cannot
accept complaints submitted anonymously. The most frequent complaints involve issues related to
standard of care, professional incompetence, unprofessional conduct which may endanger the
public, and inability to practice medicine by reason of mental or physical impairment.
Allegations of all complaints are reviewed by our investigators, who are trained professionals. If
sufficient information and evidence are obtained through the investigation to suggest that there has
been a violation of the Texas Occupations Code, the case is scheduled for an informal settlement
conference and perhaps a contested hearing before an administrative law judge.
After referral of the case to the Investigations Department, the licensee receives written notice of
the possible violation and is invited to discuss the matter with Board members or a Board member
and a district review committee member. This meeting affords an opportunity to discuss the case
and determine, if there is a problem, whether it can be resolved by agreement, or whether the
matter must be heard by an administrative law judge from the State Office of Administrative
Hearings. The complainant is also invited to this conference.
If, as a result of an agreement or hearing, the licensee is found to have violated the Texas
Occupations Code, there are several options available to the Board, ranging from a written
reprimand to a license revocation. In some instances, the licensee may be placed on probation, or
other restrictions may be imposed. Then he or she becomes the responsibility of one of the Board's
compliance officers. A compliance officer meets with the probationer on a regular basis, and the
probationer will be required to meet periodically with the Board.
The Board is also statutorily charged to receive reports of claims and lawsuits against physicians
that are based on allegations of professional liability. These reports provide a detection system
which may identify recurring patterns of unacceptable health care.
