Information about Healthcare and Social Service Professions
The Regulated Industries Complaints Office (RICO) oversees a number of healthcare and social service professions, including:
- Acupuncturists
- Athletic Trainers
- Behavior Analysts
- Chiropractors
- Dentists and Dental Hygienists
- Dispensing Opticians
- Emergency Medical Technicians
- Hearing Aid Dealers and Fitters
- Marriage and Family Therapists
- Massage Therapy Establishments and Massage Therapists
- Mental Health Counselors
- Naturopaths
- Nurses
- Nursing Home Administrators
- Occupational Therapists
- Optometrists
- Osteopaths
- Pharmacies and Pharmacists
- Physical Therapists
- Physicians
- Physician Assistants
- Podiatrists
- Psychologists
- Respiratory Therapists
- Social Workers
- Speech Pathologists and Audiologists
Some of the more typical complaints RICO investigates
involve allegations of care that falls below the generally accepted standard of care for the community or failing to provide medical records. Less frequently, RICO investigates conduct involving misappropriation of drugs or sexual or other inappropriate contact with patients. Some things, even if proven true, may not constitute grounds for discipline. For example, concerns that a patient has been made to wait a long time at a doctor’s office, or that a licensee has charged a lot of money for a particular service, are not usually within the licensing authority’s jurisdiction.
For more information about Hawaii’s healthcare professions, click on the following link to download the DCCA’s Consumer Guide to Healthcare Providers:
DCCA-Consumers-Guide-to-Healthcare-Providers.
RICO relies on information from consumers to monitor conduct in the industry and to watch for unlicensed activity. For information about filing a complaint, click on the link below or call the RICO Consumer Resource Center to speak with an intake investigator about your complaint.