NEMT complaint log template: track every complaint to resolution
A NEMT complaint log is one numbered record of every complaint your company receives, from riders, families, facilities, or brokers. Each row shows when it came in, who complained, which rider, trip, driver, and van were involved, the type, what you found, the corrective action, when you answered, and the date it closed. Brokers use the same details to score providers.
On this page
Running the log
Give one person ownership of the log, usually the operations manager or lead dispatcher. Everyone else reports complaints to that person the same day, including drivers who hear one at the curb and dispatchers who take one on the phone.
- Open an entry for every complaint. Number entries in order (2026-001, 2026-002) so a missing number shows. Log it even when you think the complaint is wrong.
- Write the due date first. Take the deadline from the broker’s request or your own standard, and put it in the log before you start looking into it.
- Record what was said, then check the records. Pull times, GPS, signatures, and any camera footage before you talk to the driver. Keep notes to what someone saw, heard, or measured.
- Decide, fix, and answer. Mark the finding, the cause, and the corrective action, then send the answer to the broker or the person who complained.
- Close it only when the fix is in place. A complaint about a broken heater closes when the heater works, not when the reply goes out.
- Review the month. Count complaints by type and by driver, and look for repeats.
A good reply to a broker has its own structure, covered in our guide to answering rider complaints a broker sends you. This log is where that work is tracked.
The template
Part A: Complaint register
One row per complaint. Keep rider details to what the investigation needs.
| No. | Received (date and time) | From and how (rider, family, facility, broker; phone, email, form) | Rider and trip ID or date of service | Driver and vehicle | Type code | What was reported | Due date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part B: Investigation and resolution
Use the same number as Part A.
| No. | Complainant contacted (date) | Records reviewed | Finding: substantiated / not substantiated / unable to tell | Cause | Corrective action | Answer sent (to whom, date) | Closed (date and initials) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Type codes
| Code | Covers |
|---|---|
| LATE | Late pickup, late drop-off, missed appointment |
| NS | Provider no-show: the vehicle never came |
| COND | Driver conduct: rude, unprofessional, phone use |
| DRIVE | Unsafe driving |
| VEH | Vehicle condition: cleanliness, heat or air conditioning, seat belts |
| SECURE | Wheelchair, lift, ramp, or stretcher securement |
| LOS | Wrong level of service, wrong vehicle, rider left without the agreed help |
| DROP | Wrong drop-off address, or rider left without a receiving person |
| ATT | Required attendant not supplied |
| PRIV | Privacy: rider information shared or visible |
| ACCESS | Accessibility or discrimination concern |
| BILL | Charges or invoices |
| OTHER | Anything else (describe) |
Part C: Monthly review
| Measure | This month | Last month |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints received | ||
| Completed trips | ||
| Substantiated complaints | ||
| Substantiated complaints as a share of completed trips | ||
| Open past the due date | ||
| Top three type codes | ||
| Drivers with two or more complaints | ||
| Vehicles with two or more complaints | ||
| Changes made because of complaints (training, scheduling, repairs) | ||
| Reviewed by and date |
Why brokers care about these columns
Brokers report complaints upward, so they need the same facts your log holds. Georgia’s NEMT broker sends the state a monthly analysis of complaints and incidents by region. For each one it lists who complained, the member transported, the dates of service, a short description, the assigned transportation provider, and the corrective action. For rides a Medicaid managed care plan pays for, federal rules count as a grievance any dissatisfaction about something other than an adverse benefit determination, and they name a rude provider as an example (42 CFR 438.400). The plan’s record of each one must show a description, the date received, review dates, the resolution, the resolution date, and the person’s name (42 CFR 438.416).
Complaints also feed provider scorecards:
| Broker and program | Complaint standard | What complaints can cost |
|---|---|---|
| MTM Health, Virginia fee-for-service | Substantiated complaints under 0.1% of completed trips | 2 points for a substantiated securement complaint, a vehicle safety complaint, or a substantiated missing attendant; 3 points for substantiated rider abandonment, which includes a drop at the wrong place or the wrong level of service. Points last a year. At 3 points the provider loses access to the trip marketplace, at 5 it is suspended for 5 days, at 8 it is suspended for 10 days and loses its recurring trips, and at 10 it is removed from the network. |
| MTM Health, Rhode Island | Green below 0.09% complaints; yellow from 0.1% to 0.49%; red at 0.5% and up | Performance improvement plans, liquidated damages, or removal from the network |
As an example, a company that completes 3,000 Virginia trips in a month and has 2 substantiated complaints sits at about 0.067%, under MTM Health’s 0.1% line. Part C of the log gives you that number before the broker does.
The vehicle rows in Part C matter too. In Georgia, any vehicle that draws two or more rider complaints about cleanliness, heating, air conditioning, or other defects within five days has to be inspected, and the fix goes into that vehicle’s permanent record.
Complaints that start at the curb
Drivers hear complaints first, and the log only works if those reach the office. CareOregon spells out what the provider does when a rider expresses dissatisfaction: tell the rider they have the right to file a grievance, explain how to file it, and report it to the brokerage. Brokers also expect you to help investigate, which can mean dash camera footage or a statement from the driver.
- Let the complaint go ahead. MTM Health’s Rhode Island handbook bars drivers from trying to stop a rider, relative, escort, attendant, or medical provider from complaining, and withholding contact information breaks the same rule.
- No payback. CareOregon forbids providers to retaliate against riders or anyone else who reports a problem, and HIPAA bars covered entities from retaliating against a person who files a privacy complaint (45 CFR 164.530).
- Keep the complaint process in the van. In Virginia, the vehicle license number, the broker’s toll-free numbers, and the complaint procedure must be displayed inside every vehicle, with a written copy available to riders on request.
Some complaints are also incidents. An injury, an accident, theft, damage to a wheelchair, or an allegation of abuse needs an incident report on the broker’s deadline as well as a line in this log.
Retention periods
Your retention period is the longest one among the programs you serve.
- Managed care. Plans must retain grievance and appeal files at least a decade, and their subcontractors must too where applicable (42 CFR 438.3(u)).
- HIPAA. A covered entity must have a way for people to complain about its privacy practices, document each complaint and its outcome, and keep that documentation for six years.
- State Medicaid. New York has enrolled providers hold the records behind their claims for six years after the service date, a practical minimum for complaint files tied to those trips.
Store the log where only the people handling complaints can see it, because it holds rider names and trip details. Brokers review complaints when they audit a provider, as our guide to passing a NEMT broker audit explains, so keep it current.
Answering complaints with trip records
The facts a complaint turns on are already saved on each HealthRide trip: GPS miles and the route driven, the time of each step, signatures, and how long the driver waited before a no-show. Every change is recorded, and you can pull the trip log from reports as a CSV or PDF, ready to attach to your answer.
Frequently asked questions
- Which complaints belong in the log?
- Every one, spoken or written. CareOregon counts any expression of dissatisfaction as a grievance, and MAS in New York counts oral or written displeasure with the service. Log the complaint a driver hears at the curb and the one a nurse mentions on the phone, not only the ones that arrive from a broker in writing.
- How quickly does a provider have to answer a complaint?
- By your broker's deadline, which is short. CareOregon expects a provider response within 3 business days on routine grievances, can shorten that to one business day when a grievance is serious, and wants a heads-up if an answer will be late. Georgia's broker has 24 hours to phone the person who complained and 5 business days to report its findings to the state, so it will want your account quickly. Put the due date in the log the day the complaint arrives.
- How do brokers decide whether a complaint is substantiated?
- They review the records and decide cause. CareOregon's brokerages treat every grievance as possibly valid and preventable until documents show otherwise, and they track findings to spot repeat problems with a provider or driver. Objective records carry the most weight: timestamps, GPS data, signatures, dash camera footage, and a narrative signed by the driver.
- How many years should complaint files be kept?
- As many as the longest rule you work under sets. Federal managed care rules make health plans hold grievance records for a decade or more and pass that duty to subcontractors where it applies. A HIPAA covered entity holds its privacy complaint files for six years. In New York, enrolled Medicaid providers hold the records behind their claims for six years after the service date.
- May a driver talk a rider out of complaining?
- No. Drivers in MTM Health's Rhode Island network may not try to influence or stop riders, relatives, escorts, attendants, or medical staff from complaining, and refusing to give out contact information counts. CareOregon forbids providers to retaliate against riders or anyone else who reports a problem. HIPAA also bars covered entities from retaliating against people who file privacy complaints.
- Does a complaint need an incident report too?
- Sometimes, because one event can need both. Georgia's manual separates complaints, which are dissatisfaction with service, from incidents such as injuries, accidents, theft, damaged equipment, or alleged abuse, which the broker must report to the state immediately. A complaint about a rider hurt during loading goes in this log and also gets an incident report.
