If you would like to file a complaint against a physician, there are two courses of action you may take: 1) The Department of Health Professions receives complaints about health care practitioners who may have violated a regulation or law. Complaints for all the licensing and regulatory Boards are received and processed by the Enforcement Division.  The Department is responsible for administering the laws and regulations pertaining to health care practitioners, which may include conducting investigations of alleged violations. In order for the Department to initiate an investigation, the information it receives must relate to a law or regulation governing a specific regulated profession or facility. While a practitioner's action may be considered improper, unethical or otherwise deserving of corrective action, it may not be a violation of law. The Department receives a substantial number of allegations that must be investigated. Due to the complex nature of some complaints, it is not unusual for a matter to take as long as twenty months from the time the information is received at the Department until a regulatory board takes final action. Complaints may be submitted to the Enforcement Division in writing, by telephone, fax, email, in person, or anonymously. Virginia Department of Health Professions Perimeter Center 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300 Richmond, VA 23233-1463 Telephone: 1.800.533.1560 804.367.4612 804.367.4560 804.367.4691 Fax: 804.527.4424 Email: enfcomplaints@dhp.virginia.gov Go to: http://www.dhp.virginia.gov/enforcement/complaints.htm to download a Complaint Form. 2) The Richmond Academy’s Ethics Committee reviews matters referred by the President or through direct written correspondence. The Committee only reviews cases dealing with Academy members. When the Ethics Committee is reviewing a matter in which one member is pointing out a possible breach of ethics by another member, the Committee will review the case. Such initial investigation should involve a discussion of the case with the complainant. If the Committee elects to proceed further, the Committee chair or designee will notify the physician in writing that the Committee will be examining an issue involving him/her. The Ethics Committee will not identify the complainant to the member physician, unless directed otherwise by the Board of Trustees of the Academy. If the Committee is directed by the Board of Trustees to identify the complainant, and the complainant refuses to be identified, the matter will not be pursued. In cases where the identity of the parties in an ethics complaint is not already known by the President and Board, it will be left to the discretion of the Committee and the Chair to decide whether to reveal their identities to the President and Board. In some cases the Committee may prefer to discuss only the nature of the case. The staff person who is the liaison to the Committee, likewise will maintain the confidentiality of Committee discussions and correspondence. A member physician notified of an ethics complaint against him/her may, if he/she wishes, submit written explanation of his/her side of the issue for review by the Committee. This member may also request to speak directly to the chair or designee. Such requests should be honored within 10 days. After careful consideration, the Committee will make a recommendation of action to the President for resolution of each matter. The President will act on the matter only if time is of the essence; and otherwise present the recommendation to the Board of Trustees for action. The chair of the Committee will be asked to present the Committee's recommendation to the Board, and to represent the Committee and its recommendations during discussion and decision of final action. Correspondence should be faxed to 804.788.9987, emailed to ramdirector@ramdocs.org, or addressed to: Richmond Academy of Medicine Executive Director 2201 West Broad Street Suite 205 Richmond, VA 23220