TY - JOUR AU - Friele, R. D. AU - Reitsma, P. M. AU - de Jong, J. D. PY - 2015 DA - 2015/10/01 TI - Complaint handling in healthcare: expectation gaps between physicians and the public; results of a survey study JO - BMC Research Notes SP - 529 VL - 8 IS - 1 AB - Patients who submit complaints about the healthcare they have received are often dissatisfied with the response to their complaints. This is usually attributed to the failure of physicians to respond adequately to what complainants want, e.g. an apology or an explanation. However, expectations of complaint handling among the public may colour how they evaluate the way their own complaint is handled. This descriptive study assesses expectations of complaint handling in healthcare among the public and physicians. Negative public expectations and the gap between these expectations and those of physicians may explain patients’ dissatisfaction with complaints procedures. SN - 1756-0500 UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-015-1479-z DO - 10.1186/s13104-015-1479-z ID - Friele2015 ER -