File a Health Care Complaint

The Department investigates quality of care issues, such as allegations of actual or potential harm to patients, patient rights, infection control, and medication errors. The Department also investigates allegations or harm or potential harm due to an unsafe physical (building) environment.

Complaints submitted to this site are limited to hospitals, home health agencies, hospices, end-stage renal dialysis units, ambulatory surgical treatment centers, rural health clinics, critical access hospitals, clinical laboratories (CLIA), outpatient physical therapy, portable X-ray services, community mental health centers, accredited mental health centers (only Medicare Certified), comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities, Free Standing Emergency centers, alternative health care delivery and health maintenance organizations (HMOs).

The Department’s Central Complaint Registry is limited to the mandates provided in the licensing acts, regulations, and federal Medicare Conditions of Participation or coverage for the programs the Department manages.

Complaints can be filed by phone, mail, e-mail, or fax.  

Central Complaint Registry Hotline - 800-252-4343
Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
TTY for the Hearing Impaired Only- 800-547-0466

Complaints can be submitted online by visiting the OHCR Portal and selecting File a Complaint

Health Care Facilities Complaint Form
Mail form to:
Illinois Department of Public Health
Office of Health Care Regulation
Central Complaint Registry
525 W. Jefferson St., Ground Floor
Springfield, IL 62761-0001

Health Care Facilities Complaint Form
Fax form to:  217-524-8885

Health Care Facilities Complaint Form
E-Mail form to DPH.CCR@illinois.gov

Who is the patient/resident? Who are the employees involved?
What happened to the patient/resident? What are the specific allegations (abuse/neglect, acquired infections or medication error)?
When did this incident occur (date of incident, admission or treatment)?
Where is the facility located (name and city)? Where in the facility did the incident occur (room number, unit, or department)?
How was the patient harmed? How could the patient have been potentially harmed?
How was your complaint addressed by the facility?                           

Complaints may be filed by, but are not limited to, patients, patient family members, care givers, staff or advocacy groups.

The identity of the complainant is not disclosed to the facility by the Department. The complainant may provide a name, address and phone number to the Department. This information is required if the complainant would like to receive written notification of receipt of the complaint and notification of the outcome of the complaint investigation. Complaints may be filed anonymously. 

All complaints are logged and reviewed. Complaints are investigated on a priority basis. Depending on the nature, scope, and severity of the complaint allegations, the investigation may take from a few days or weeks, to several months.

1. Insurance billing issues should be referred to the Illinois Department of Insurance at 877-527-9431 or 866-445-5364. To file a complaint online go to https://mc.insurance.illinois.gov/messagecenter.nsf
2. Possible health care fraud should be referred to the Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Unit at 877-305-5145 (TTY 800- 964-3013) or fax 312-793-0802. To file a complaint online go to http://illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/consumers/hcform.pdf
3. Licensed personnel issues should be addressed to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation at 312-814-6910. To file a complaint online go to https://www.idfpr.com/Admin/Complaints.asp
4. Mental health issues occurring and DHS-operated facilities can be referred to the Illinois Department of Human Services at 1-800-368-1463 or (312) 815-3784.
5. Medicare Billing Problems can be referred to a Medicare Customer Services Representative at 800-633-4227 or to the Department of Insurance at 800-548-9034.

To check the status of a long-term care complaint, contact the Department’s Bureau of Long-Term Care at 800-252-4343. For non-long term care complaints contact the Department’s Division of Health Care Facilities and Programs at 217-782-7412. To make inquiries, you must have the name and location of the facility. If you have received an assigned complaint number, please provide it when you contact our office. This is NOT a toll-free call.

• IDPH Administrative Code

• Court Ordered Questions
• Long Term Care Incident and Communicable Disease Report
• Serious Injury Incident Report Instructions