We are experiencing high volumes. Our team is working hard but care quality reviews may be delayed.
PCQRB Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
Please see below for answers to frequently asked questions. If we have not addressed your question here, please contact us by email (contact@patientcarequalityreviewboard.ca) or call our office (1-866-952-2448) to discuss your specific situation.
General:
| Q: | Who can request a review? |
| A: | The person who received care (or who expected to receive care, but didn’t), or someone speaking on their behalf. |
| Q: | Do you have translation and interpretation services? |
| A: | Yes, we offer translation and interpretation services. Please contact our office to request communication in a language other than English. |
| Q: | Can I have a meeting with someone in person to discuss my case? |
| A: |
The PCQRB does not offer in-person meetings, however, we will work with you by phone, email, letter, or MS Teams (video call) to verify consent, confirm and clarify your unresolved issues, and answer your questions about the process.
The review process is considered a paper review, and we rely on documentation provided by the client and the health authority. The Board and secretariat are made up of people from all over the province. As such, we do not conduct interviews, site visits, or in-person meetings. |
| Q: | Who are the Patient Care Quality Review Board members? |
| A: | Board members are members of the public appointed to the PCQRB by the Minister of Health. Board member bios can be found on CABRO’s website. |
Requesting a review for someone who is deceased:
| Q: | The patient has passed away. Can I request a review on their behalf? |
| A: |
If you were the patient’s health representative or substitute decision maker while they were receiving care, you may be able to request a review on their behalf. You may also be able to request a review if you are named in the patient’s will as someone who can settle health related matters on their behalf. We might ask for a copy of any supporting documentation, such as a health representation agreement.
If there is no health care representation agreement or portion of a will as described above, you may still be able to request a review on the patient’s behalf if you are the next of kin. Note: A person’s right to medical privacy does not end at their death. While the Board may still be able to perform a full review, we might not be able to disclose every detail of the care history to you. |
Requesting a review for someone who is incapable of making the request themselves:
| Q: | The patient has dementia. They would not understand what a review is and cannot sign a Third-Party Consent form. Can I still request a review on their behalf? |
| A: | If the patient is incapable of advocating for themselves, you may still request a review on their behalf if you are their next of kin and/or have been appointed to help them with health care decisions. We might ask some follow-up questions about your relationship with the patient and about the patient’s cognitive abilities. Please contact our office if you are unsure how to proceed. |
| Q: | I have Power of Attorney for the patient. Can I request a review on their behalf? |
| A: | No, Power of Attorney only covers financial matters. If you were the patient's health representative or substitute decision maker while they were receiving care, or you are their next of kin, you may still be able to request a review on their behalf. Please call or email our office to discuss your specific situation. |
Requesting a review for a minor:
| Q: | Do I need third party consent if I am requesting this review for my underaged child? |
| A: | In general, if your child is 12 years old or older, we will request they complete a third-party consent form. In BC, a child under the age of 19 may be considered a “mature minor” if they have been assessed by a health care provider as being capable to give consent and make their own medical decisions, and if care is in the child’s best interest. Although there is no set age for when a child becomes capable or is automatically considered a mature minor, it is important your child is given an opportunity to understand our process and consent to this review. |
Filling out and submitting our forms:
| Q: | I have already sent all this information to the PCQO (Patient Care Quality Office). Why does the PCQRB ask me to repeat it all again? |
| A: |
The PCQRB is separate from the PCQOs, and we do not have direct access to PCQO records. We need details about the complaint and proof you are authorized to act on the patient's behalf (if you are not the patient) so that the PCQO can legally release medical records and complaint records to our office. Providing your consent for us to request records ensures that the PCQO only releases the records you want to be reviewed by our office, and nothing else.
The Request Review Form helps us understand what part of the complaint you brought to the PCQO that you feel has not been resolved. We also need to know what concerns you feel that the PCQO was not able to resolve for you, and what concerns (if any) you have about the PCQO’s process. If you are requesting a review on someone else’s behalf, the PCQRB must also independently confirm with the patient that they want our office to view their medical records and discuss their care experience. |
| Q: | I am having technical problems downloading and opening your forms. Can you help? |
| A: | Yes, please email or call our office and we can help you. You can also contact your local MLA’s office, where a constituency assistant might be able to help you complete the form. |
What the PCQRB reviews:
| Q: | What kinds of complaints can be reviewed? |
| A: |
The PCQRB exclusively reviews complaints that have already been brought to the attention of the Patient Care Quality Office (PCQO) of your local health authority. We cannot review your complaint if your region’s PCQO has not had a chance to respond to your concerns.
The PCQRB can accept your review request if your complaint is about a health care service you/the patient received from the health authority (or expected to receive but did not), and you have received a response from the PCQO (or you did not receive a response within the expected 40 business days). Types of complaints the Board can review include, but may not be limited to:
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| Q: | Are there complaints that cannot be reviewed? |
| A: |
We cannot review complaints about an experience you had with a health authority service while you were not a patient. For example, the PCQRB would not review a complaint about visitor parking at a hospital from someone who was not a patient at the time of the experience.
The Patient Care Quality Review Board Act outlines the requirements and limitations of the care quality review process. |
| Q: | Can you review complaints about a family physician? |
| A: | Because General Practitioners (GPs) operate as independent businesses, the PCQRB cannot review complaints about GPs. We can review complaints about something that happened if the office is operated by a health authority, like an Urgent Primary Care Centre. Concerns about physicians are best brought to the attention of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia. |
| Q: | Can I have a review of care that I am currently receiving? Can the Board change the care I’m currently receiving? |
| A: | The Board is not able intervene in active care. Your health authority’s PCQO may be able to help with this by putting you in touch with the relevant avenue to get your needs met. While the Board can look at portions of ongoing care that have already been brought to the attention of the PCQO, their recommendations are non-binding, and they cannot order changes to care. |
| Q: | Do I need to submit my complaint to the PCQO first? |
| A: | Yes. If you submitted your complaint to the Patient Care Quality Office (PCQO) of your health authority and the PCQO has either responded to your complaint (e.g., you received an answer to your concerns in the form of a letter, a phone call, or an email), or has not yet responded and it has been more than 40 business days (about two calendar months), you can request a review by the PCQRB. |
| Q: | I submitted my complaint to the PCQO, but they are taking a long time to respond to my concerns. Can you take over the complaint? |
| A: | If you have already brought your complaint to the health authority and would like us to review your concerns, you may submit a review request. Please note that the PCQO has 40 business days (about two calendar months) to respond to you or must request your permission to extend that timeline. We encourage you to continue to work with the PCQO as they are in the best position to resolve your concerns. |
How the Board conducts their review:
| Q: | How long does a review take? |
| A: | We work hard to complete reviews in a fair, timely and effective way. Unfortunately, because of high volumes, we are currently exceeding the legislated 130 business days (approximately six calendar months) to complete the review and advise you of the outcome. If the review cannot be completed within that timeframe, we will reach out to you about an extension. |
| Q: | What actually happens during a Board review? |
| A: |
The Board will review all medical records and policies related to your care experience, the PCQO documentation, as well as any information and documents you share with us. We may ask for more information from the health authority on how policies are enforced and how administrative decisions are made. We do not conduct interviews or visit the facility involved.
The Board members meet by video call to discuss the patient’s care experience and identify if the health authority could make any improvements to administrative policies or processes. A summary of this discussion is provided to you and the health authority in the form of a written report. If the Board recommends any improvements, the health authority will respond in writing to both you and the Board about whether they accept the recommendations and their work to implement the changes. |
Outcomes to expect from a review:
| Q: | Will a review result in financial compensation? |
| A: | No, the Board has no authority to order compensation and will not make recommendations on financial matters. |
| Q: | Does the Board judge whether my physician or nurse made the right diagnosis or provided the right treatment? |
| A: |
No, the Board is not able to determine if your care provider made the correct clinical decisions for your health condition. While we do look at whether tools and guidelines are in place to support clinical decision-making, we are unable to make determinations about a provider’s conduct and decision-making, nor recommend they receive discipline or further education.
Concerns about a specific provider’s conduct and decision-making are best addressed by their regulatory college (such as the College of Physician and Surgeons of BC or BC College of Nurses and Midwives) or the care provider’s employer. |
| Q: | Will a review result in the discipline of any health care providers? |
| A: | No, PCQRB reviews are non-punitive. The focus of the reviews is to find opportunities to make the health care system better for patients in the future and to restore trust between patients and the health authority. |
