Authorizations Department appalling

<p>My 85yr old grandmother required urgent specialist referral.Her gp requested authorization & we were assured that we would receive auth notification within an hour or 2 via email to myself as I am the contact person and liaison for her. Between my mum myself and my grandmother we have called Discovery in excess of 5 times today and still have no confirmation on the status. I did log on this eve and see that the auth is approved, however, on enquiry regarding what exactly the auth is for(admission/specialist/both?) my grandmother was put on hold for 30 minutes) then trnsferred to Client Services! I called back and was told that arrogant Mr Brett de Wet(Team leader) from Auths Dept will only talk to the main member! Earlier in the day my grandmother was advised to go to hospital as the auth would be availble in an hour or 2 - took a taxi to get there, waited and was not seen due to no auth! Discovery auths Dept kept saying pending! So taxi back home for an ill 85 year old woman late in the evening! Authorizations Dept (Discovery Health in general) appear to handpick unprofessional, uncaring and pathetic employees! Clearly do not have any medical knowledge or background! Surely a simple auth &/or explanation thereof should not take moe than a day! Menawhile, my grandmother's health deteroriates due to Discovery's *********** employees! Let me not get started on the ot so bright Mr Chris Scholtz regarding my authorization to make enquiries on my Grandmother's membership! Extremely dissatisfactory, appalling service!</p>