UPMC Patient Relations

If you have questions, concerns, or feedback about your care at UPMC, our Patient Relations Department is available to help.

At UPMC, we’re committed to a supportive, positive patient experience, from understanding your care plan to navigating your hospital stay and sharing feedback.

On this page:

• Who We Are.
• Who We Serve.
• What We Do.
• When You Should Contact Patient Relations.
• How to Contact Patient Relations.
• Patient Relations Phone Numbers by Hospital.
• Billing Questions.
• Condition Help.
• Discrimination Complaints.
• The UPMC Intermediation Program.
• External Resources.

Who We Are

UPMC Patient Relations is a team of caring professionals who support you throughout your care journey and advocate for your needs within the UPMC system.

Each UPMC hospital has its own team of patient representatives advocating for the best outcomes for its patients. There is no extra cost to you.

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Who We Serve

Our patient representatives work directly with patients and authorized members of their care team. This could include, but is not limited to, a patient’s:

• Spouse/partner.
• Family member.
• Parent/legal guardian.
• Friend.

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What We Do

Our Patient Relations teams are here to support you and your care team. We work directly with you to:

• Address questions about your care, available services, or hospital policies.
• Facilitate communication between you and your care team if you have specific needs, requests, or concerns.
• Explain patient rights and responsibilities.
• Resolve concerns that may have arisen during your visit or hospital stay.
• Document your feedback to help improve our services for all patients.

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When You Should Contact Patient Relations

If you have a concern about your experience during a visit or hospital stay at UPMC, we encourage you to first talk with the staff involved with your care. If your concern is not resolved, you are welcome to contact one of our teams to provide more assistance.

You should consider contacting UPMC Patient Relations if:

• You have a question or concern about your care or the care of a loved one.
• You need help understanding what’s happening with your treatment or care plan.
• You need support or information about advocacy, your rights as a patient, or navigating the UPMC system.

We welcome your input at any time: before, during, or after your visit or hospital stay.

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How to Contact UPMC Patient Relations

You can contact us:

• In person — Ask a member of your care team to contact Patient Relations for you during your visit or hospital stay.
• By phone — Call the Patient Relations phone number (listed below) for the hospital you’re visiting.
• Online — Complete the online feedback form on our website.

Our patient representatives are available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.* They will look into your concern as soon as possible, with the standard turnaround usually being within five business days. Reaching out to Patient Relations will not negatively affect your care in any way.

Your feedback helps us improve. We use your comments and concerns to enhance the care we provide and to ensure a positive experience for every patient — now and in the future.

*There may be some variation based on facility.

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UPMC Patient Relations Phone Numbers

For questions or concerns about a UPMC practice not located in a hospital, please call our toll-free Patient Relations Customer Service Line at 1-866-705-7020.

This number goes to a confidential voicemail. When leaving a message, please provide your name, the patient’s name and date of birth, your telephone number, and the name of the person or practice involved. Please note that complaints about many non-hospital settings are managed by clinic leadership.

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Billing Questions

Please refer to the billing telephone number on your patient statement.

• UPMC Hospital and Physician Billing (western Pennsylvania customer service) — 1-844-591-5949.
• UPMC Hospital and Physician Billing dates of service Sept. 27, 2025, or later (central Pennsylvania, northwest Pennsylvania and New York, and western Maryland customer service) — 833-927-8762.

If you have a billing question, please visit our Paying My Bill page.

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Condition Help

Condition Help is a 24/7 patient safety hotline that patients and support persons can call when there is:

• An emergency when patients or support persons cannot get the attention of hospital staff.
• A communication breakdown with the care team in how care is given.
• Uncertainty over what needs to be done.

You can activate this service within each hospital by dialing the internal number from the patient’s room or by dialing the external number (if listed) on the Condition Help page.

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Discrimination Complaints

UPMC complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex (consistent with the scope of sex discrimination described at 45 CFR § 92.101(a)(2)).

UPMC provides people with disabilities reasonable modifications and free appropriate auxiliary aids and services to communicate effectively with us.

UPMC, in its health programs and activities, provides language assistance services and appropriate auxiliary aids and services free of charge to participants, beneficiaries, enrollees, and applicants of its health programs or activities, and members of the public.

If you believe that UPMC has failed to provide these services or discriminated in another way on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex, you can file a grievance with the Civil Rights Coordinator at 1-877-983-8442 or CivilRights@UPMC.edu. You can find more information about Civil Rights Grievances at UPMC.com/CivilRights.

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The UPMC Intermediation Program

If your concerns are not resolved through the Patient Relations process, there may be limited circumstances in which participation in a separate program is considered. This option is reserved for unique and complex situations and is subject to an application and review process.

This program:

• Provides patients and their families the opportunity to discuss the care they received with a neutral third party facilitating the discussion with involved members of their care team.
• Identifies challenges that are impeding an acceptable outcome for all parties.
• Enhances our ability to improve the care that we provide.

You can discuss this with your Patient Relations professional.

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External Resources

If a patient or their representative believes UPMC has not adequately addressed their concerns about care or safety, resources are available.

The Joint Commission

The Joint Commission is an accreditation agency for UPMC hospitals.

To contact the Joint Commission Office of Quality and Patient Safety, use the “Submit a Patient Safety Complaint” link in the “Contact Us” section on the Joint Commission website.

You may also contact the Joint Commission by fax (1-630-792-5636), or by writing:

The Office of Quality and Patient Safety (OQPS)
The Joint Commission
1 Renaissance Blvd.
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181

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