out this doctor's inadequacies, or tell you that thanks to
your letter the doctor has been dropped from their referral
program. HMOs, hospitals and insurance companies do
not encourage complaints; it is not in their best interests
to do so. You will not feel empowered by the situation.
However, if you feel that this is the right thing to do, your
sense of helping others like you can be your motivation.
of your state, the governmental agency in charge of
making sure that health care givers and institutions are
fundamentally competent and ethical. (The address for
the Federation of State Medical Boards is in the Resource
Guide of this book.) Your action can help prevent harm
to others.