Information regarding a Doctor of Chiropractic who may be in violation of the Minnesota Chiropractic Practice Act (Minnesota Statute 148.01-148.108, or Minnesota Administrative Rules 2500.0100-2500.7090,) is received by the Board through submission of a complaint. Complaints may be filed by anyone and are submitted to the Board on the complaint form. The Board may also act on complaints submitted by phone, mailed letter or email. Complaint data is not public information and may not be discussed with anyone.

The Board is statutorily obligated to pursue all jurisdictional complaints against individuals it regulates. In other words, if the complaint alleges a violation of the Chiropractic Practice Act by a Doctor of Chiropractic, the complaint will be investigated. An example of a non-jurisdictional complaint is one which alleges that the patient did not get better after treatment. Health care professionals, courts and others are required by law to report conduct which may be grounds for disciplinary action under the Chiropractic Practice Act.

When a jurisdictional complaint is received, it is assigned to a Panel which will have responsibility for it until no further action is required. The Panel then requests a response from the respondent which may include all pertinent health care and billing records. Complaints alleging sexual misconduct must, by law, be investigated by the Minnesota Attorney General's Office. The completed investigation will then be reviewed by the Panel for appropriate follow-up.

Complaint Panels are comprised of three members: two members of the Board, and the Board’s Executive Director. Panel meetings are held monthly to review complaint-related materials and determine appropriate steps for resolution. Following resolution of the complaint the respondent and complainant will be notified.

Potential Outcomes of Panel Review:

• Dismissal. The Panel may choose to dismiss the complaint. A dismissal requires the agreement of at least two Panel members.
  
  
• Corrective Action. The Panel may recommend that the respondent enter into an Agreement for Corrective Action. This Agreement is a contract between the Panel and the respondent in which the respondent agrees to take corrective action, to address problems identified in the complaint review process. Corrective action is not disciplinary action, but it is a public action. The Agreement does not require action by the full Board.
  
  
• Disciplinary Action. If the Panel determines the respondent has violated the Chiropractic Practice Act, it may ask the respondent to enter into a Stipulation and Order that places restrictions on the chiropractor’s license.
  
  A Stipulation is an agreement between the respondent and the Complaint Review Panel in which the licensee accepts that disciplinary action is appropriate based on identified violations of the Chiropractic Practice Act. The Order is issued by the full Board after it reviews and approves the Stipulation. The Order enforces the agreed-upon terms. Together, the Stipulation and Order form a single public document.
  
  If the respondent declines to accept the Stipulation and Order offered by the Panel, or if the Board rejects it, the case may proceed to a contested case hearing under the Administrative Procedures Act.

If you are concerned about the way a chiropractor practices chiropractic, you may wish to take one or more of the following steps:

1. Talk with the chiropractor about your concerns. In most cases they will want to know that you are dissatisfied with the chiropractic services received.
2. If applicable, talk with the facility or clinic manager about your situation as they, too, want satisfied patients who will recommend their services.
3. If you do not receive satisfaction from the above efforts or if you feel unable to do the recommendations listed above, complete and submit the complaint form to the Board at chiro.complaint@state.mn.us.

Most complaints about a Doctor of Chiropractic fall into these categories:

• Competency matters
• Fraud
• Impairment or chemical use concerns
• Improper delegation of authority
• Misleading or false advertising
• Practicing outside the scope of chiropractic
• Record keeping or mismanagement of patient records
• Sexual misconduct
• Threatening, dishonest or misleading fee collection techniques

If you are unsure whether you have a complaint that is within the jurisdiction of the Board, you are encouraged to call the compliance specialist.

The Board can only take action against a MN licensed Doctor of Chiropractic. The Board cannot help with any billing or collection issues unless the Doctor of Chiropractic is engaged in threatening, dishonest, or misleading fee collection techniques. The Board is unable to address problems regarding any other health care professional outside of licensed chiropractors.

The Board’s complaint form helps facilitate the process by requesting information that may be of assistance in the complaint review process. While the board will evaluate all manner of complaints, including anonymous complaints, having a completed complaint form allows members of a complaint review committee to see the complaint and its details in the complainant’s own words.

The length of the review process tends to vary with the complexity of the complaint.

You will receive a letter from the Board acknowledging receipt of your complaint and another when the review process is complete and the Board has made a determination. Should the complaint resolution process take longer than 120 days you will receive notice that your complaint is active and ongoing.

During the review process, the board will protect your identity pursuant to Minnesota Statute 13.41, subdivision 4. The Chiropractic Practice Act provides immunity from civil lawsuits or criminal prosecution to people who file a complaint.

The Board's staff may recommend the services of other governmental agencies or professional associations if the Board is not the appropriate agency to review your concerns.

There is no cost to file a complaint with the Board.

The Board's complaint process is designed for the public. If you have questions about filing your complaint, the Board's staff can assist you. You may consult an attorney before filing if you wish to, but it is not necessary to do so.