The characteristics of the formal approaches
| Negotiation between Hospitals and Complainants | Administrative Mediation | Civil Lawsuits | Complaint Letters and Visits System | People's Mediation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Responsible institution | Complaint Reception Office in hospitals | Health Inspection Institute | People's Court | Complaint Letters and Visits Office in health administrative departments | People's Mediation Committee for Medical Disputes |
| Responsibility | Receive and handle patients’ complaints; compensate some complainants | Receive and mediate medical malpractices | Receive and settle medical litigations | Receive, transfer and supervise patients’ complaints | Receive and mediate patients’ complaints |
| Handling method | Negotiation | Mediation | Mediation; trial | Supervise matters | Mediation |
| Processing duration | Indefinite | Only once | 6 months | 2 months | 1 month |
| Legal level of resolution | Low | Low | High | Low | Low |
| Administrative level of resolution | Low | High | High | High | Low |