How to File a Complaint
Each of Arizona's four medical regulatory boards accepts complaints from members of the public. Complaints are filed directly with the board that licenses the practitioner concerned.
- Arizona Medical Board (AMB) — licenses allopathic physicians (MD).
- Arizona State Board of Nursing (AZBN) — licenses registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and nurse practitioners.
- Arizona Board of Osteopathic Examiners (AZBO) — licenses osteopathic physicians (DO).
- Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants (ARBPA) — licenses physician assistants (PA).
Keep a copy of everything you submit, and note the date. If the board assigns your complaint a case number, record it — you will need it for any follow-up or public records request.
Know Your Rights
You are entitled to request your own medical records. You are entitled to request public records from an Arizona regulatory board pursuant to A.R.S. §39-121. You are entitled to be told the outcome of a complaint you filed.
A dismissal is not the end of the record. The documents a board generates while considering your complaint — including the dismissal letter itself — are frequently obtainable through a public records request, even when the board's public disposition says little.
Was Your Complaint Dismissed?
Arizona boards dismiss the vast majority of complaints filed against licensed practitioners, often without explanation. If that happened to you, your account matters.
Legal Resources
Nothing on this site constitutes legal advice. If you believe you have been harmed, speak with a licensed attorney in Arizona about your own circumstances.
- State Bar of Arizona lawyer referral service.
- Community Legal Services and other Arizona legal aid organizations, for those who qualify.
- The Arizona Ombudsman — Citizens' Aide, for complaints about the conduct of a state agency.