The Alameda-Contra Costa Medical Association (ACCMA) is a non-profit, private organization of physicians dedicated to maintaining quality medical care and good physician-patient relationships. If you are dissatisfied with treatment you received by a member of our association, we offer a dispute resolution process by which you can bring your complaint before a committee of qualified physicians. Complaints range from charges of ethical misconduct to fee disputes. A committee reviews the complaint and the physician's response, and tries to determine whether the physician acted within the standard of care and the standard of practice.
ACCMA Mediation Process Patients who wish to utilize the ACCMA's mediation services should follow these steps:
1. Discuss your grievance directly with your physician. Such discussions generally resolve most problems.
2. If that is not successful, verify whether the physician against whom you wish to file a complaint is an ACCMA member. The ACCMA will
not perform peer review services to resolve disputes between patients and physicians unless the physician is a current ACCMA member. To access a directory of members,
click here.
3. If the physician is a member, and you wish to utilize the ACCMA's mediation services, complete and sign the Patient Complaint Form and return it to the ACCMA by standard mail. By completing and signing this form, you agree to voluntarily participate in our review process. Upon receipt of your written complaint, a copy will be sent to the physician, who will be given an opportunity to respond in writing. The matter will then be referred to the proper committee for review. This process takes approximately several months. You will be notified in writing of the committee's findings, which is advisory only.
Click here to download a Patient Complaint Form.
NOTE: The Medical Board of California is the only authority in the state that may take disciplinary action against the license of the physician to whom your complaint relates. The toll-free phone number of the Medical Board is 800-633-2322.