Why Patients Are Filing More Complaints Against Hospitals

CMS data reveals patient complaints against hospitals are rising sharply, illustrating oversight gaps and trust issues that demand CEO attention.

Hospital leaders face a growing concern when it comes to the patient experience: Complaints are on the rise, and federal data show the problem is only intensifying.

According to the latest State Performance Standards System report from CMS, complaints against hospitals have surged by 79% over the past five years and topped 14,500 in fiscal year 2024. That increase is straining the oversight system designed to ensure hospital quality and safety, while also revealing frustrations from patients about their care experiences.

The report highlights how oversight gaps are contributing to dissatisfaction. State Survey Agencies, which investigate patient complaints and conduct recertification surveys, have had the same funding since 2015, even as their workload and use of resources has gone up.

As a result, many investigations are not launched within required timeframes. Regular recertification surveys are also lagging, leaving hospitals without timely accountability checks.

For patients, that can translate to delays in care, safety lapses that go unaddressed, and the sense that their concerns are not being taken seriously. When investigations drag or oversight feels absent, patients increasingly turn to filing formal complaints to voice their displeasure.

How CEOs can respond

For hospital leaders, the CMS findings are a reminder that patient complaints are a risk to both compliance and culture. They point to gaps in how effectively organizations listen and respond to what patients are telling them.

Patients who perceive slow responses to their safety or quality concerns often conclude that hospitals are indifferent to their needs. In today’s environment, where patient experience weighs as heavily as clinical outcomes in shaping provider reputation, that perception carries real consequences.

Particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s incumbent on providers to repair trust with patients and the public that has eroded over time.

Hospital CEOs can’t control federal funding for state surveyors, but they can control how their organizations treat patient complaints. Beyond ensuring timely reporting and compliance, leaders should view complaints as critical feedback and warnings of issues that have the potential to damage patient trust and quality scores if left unresolved.

Investing in rapid-response systems, empowering frontline staff to resolve concerns in real time, and strengthening patient communication can help reduce the need for patients to escalate to formal complaints.

The surge in complaints reflected in CMS’ report underscores that patients are increasingly dissatisfied and choosing to speak up. For hospital leaders, the question is whether they’re truly listening and willing to act.