Public Complaint - A public complaint (administrative complaint) is not disciplinary action. It is a charging document that has not been proven. A public administrative complaint is the result of a complaint and the investigation of the allegation of a violation of the practice act that governs a health care profession. The administrative complaint lists the violations of law that were alleged after the investigation and review that resulted in a finding of probable cause.
By law, the administrative complaint becomes public 10 days after a finding of probable cause or when the licensee waives the privilege of confidentiality. Every administrative complaint is reviewed by the appropriate licensing board, or the department if there is no board, as one step in the hearing process that provides the subject of the complaint with due process of law. Some public administrative complaints are dismissed at the hearing stage. Other administrative complaints result in disciplinary action imposed by a final order, which is reflected as a "YES" in the "Discipline on File" entry on the licensee verification screen.
YES = A public administrative complaint in which discipline has been taken, or a public administrative complaint pending action by the board or department.
NO = No public administrative complaint has been filed, or an administrative complaint was filed and later dismissed.
The License Verification site will display a YES indicator for administrative complaints filed on or after November 1999. Public complaints filed prior to November 1999 are available by request from the Department.
