SUBJECT: Grievance Policy
PURPOSE:
In accordance with ACGME and Specialty College guidelines, provides resident trainees with appropriate policies and procedures on grievance and due process.
SCOPE:
This policy and procedure apply to all Graduate Medical Education (GME) training programs at Franciscan Health and all residents training in those programs. For purposes of this policy and procedure, a “resident” means any physician in any GME program at Franciscan Health, including interns, residents, fellows and subspecialty residents.
POLICY AND PROCEDURES:
All GME programs at Franciscan Health will promote fair, reasonable, efficient and equitable resolutions for general grievances that may arise in the course of residency training. Residents who receive Corrective Action pursuant to the Academic Improvement and Corrective Action Policy will be permitted to appeal in accordance with the due process procedure outlined herein.
A Resident has the right to remain anonymous when filling a grievance. We will strive to maintain the resident’s confidentiality. There may be times, however, when Graduate Medical Education may need to identify the concern in order to advocate for fair process, and to identify options and strategies for resolution; however, we would never do so without the resident’s permission.
The resident should first attempt to resolve the concern informally by consulting with the chief resident or senior fellow, appropriate faculty, Associated Resident Council, or the Program Director
A meeting is requested with the Program Director / Designated Institutional Official (DIO) to discuss the problems or questions concerning the employment situation.
No resident trainee will be penalized, formally or informally, for voicing a complaint in a reasonable, business-like, manner or for using the grievance resolution procedure. The fact that a complaint has been raised will not result in any discrimination toward the Resident in conditions of work, advancement, etc. Should the findings indicate that adverse treatment of a Resident did occur; corrective action will be promptly taken.
If the resident trainee feels that the problem is still unresolved after five working days, the Resident should present the problem, both verbally and in writing, to the Director of Human Resources. The written notice should include specific information regarding the policies and procedures that have been violated, the subsequent steps that have been taken, the decision being contested, and the expected remedy. The Director of Human Resources will then be responsible for meeting with the DIO to review the documentation and take whatever steps they deem necessary to address the situation and make a response. The Director of Human Resources will then inform the Resident of the response, both verbally and in writing within ten working days of the receipt of the written notice. A copy of both the written complaint and the written response will be placed in the Resident’s personnel file.
Chain of command
Program Director
Designated Institutional Official
Director of Human Resources
A final written appeal may be submitted to a sub-committee of the Franciscan Health Olympia Fields / Chicago Heights (FHOF / CH) Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC) within five working days of receipt of the Director of Human Resource’s decision response. All previous paperwork filed will also be forwarded to the sub-committee for review. The sub-committee shall inform the Resident of the sub-committee’s decision within twenty (20) working days of receipt of the final appeal. The decision of the sub-committee is final and not subject to further review or appeal.