Complaints About Nursing Home Care
The New York State Department of Health, Division of Quality and Surveillance for Nursing Homes and ICFs/MR (DQS), is responsible for investigating complaints and incidents for nursing homes in New York State.
The Nursing Home Complaint hotline (1-888-201-4563) can be called 24 hours per day, seven days per week. The hotline is manned by Division of Quality and Surveillance for Nursing Homes (DQS) staff from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. In addition, DQS staff monitors the hotline on evenings, weekends and holidays. Complaints and incidents may also be submitted by fax (518-408-1157) or by mail to:
Centralized Complaint Intake Unit161 Delaware Avenue
Delmar, New York 12054
Alternatively, you may send an e-mail to nhintake@health.state.ny.us, providing us with the nature of the complaint. We also would appreciate if you would optionally provide us with your e-mail address, contact number, and name, so that we may contact you promptly regarding the complaint.
Nursing Home Complaint Investigations
All complaint and incidents received about nursing homes are reviewed by the Department through the Centralized Complaint Intake Unit with appropriate action taken. The most serious complaints and incidents require Department investigators to conduct interviews, review medical records and other facility documentation, and perform other activities onsite at the nursing home.
Some complaints and incidents contain more than one allegation. If an investigation determines that any of the allegations did occur, then the allegation is sustained. Further, the investigation will determine whether a facility has failed to meet federal and/or state requirements. In cases where the Department determines the nursing home violates regulation, the Department will issue a citation to the nursing home. The facility then must submit a plan of correction that is acceptable to the Department and correct the deficient practice.