When an "improves service" is an oxy*****.

Recently we received an email from Discovery Health advising of a change of procedures which claims they are improving their preauthorization channels. Being in disagreement with their statement I responded to their communication, and they don't bother to respond in any meaningful way other than to send standard form letters. This is an extract from their communication: "From 16 September 2019, the process to get a hospital preauthorisation will change. We have decided to stop the email service channel and prefer that you use other channels for a better service experience. How you can get preauthorisation from 16 September 2019 Please phone our preauthorisation department on ***and follow the prompts to get preauthorisation. When you contact us, please have specific information about your procedure and admission details so that we can help you in the best way possible, like: The name and membership number for the main member and the patient The date of your procedure Your doctor and anaesthetist's names and practice numbers The name and practice number of the hospital you have chosen. Remember that you must make sure your doctor operates in your chosen hospital The diagnosis (ICD-10) codes The procedure or treatment codes (called RPL codes)" My response was as follows" "With regards to the following email which I received earlier today, I have a number of comments with regards to your statements "Improve our preauthorisation channels". Your change in process does NOT improve anything, for some bizarre reason your executives seem to think that working only by phone will be an improvement, which it isn't. My wife had cancer of the esophagus and is unable to talk, so how would your phone service help her? I think you are trying way too hard to be creative and not actually thinking about the service that you provide your clients. In fact by cancelling this route, you are doing a dis-service to your clients by failing to take into account people with differing abilities. I would advise you to carefully rethink this."

Since then I have received no meaningful answers from Discovery, and this morning I try and call their head office and get a barrage of resistance to my request to speak with Mujeeb Bray, Head of service, Discovery Health . (On behalf of Discovery Health Medical Scheme.) It seems to me that trying to commu8nicate with a service provider like this has become impossible. They claim that they are "improving" their service when in fact that are showing absolutely no concern whatsoever for people who have specific issues. The modern "electronic" switchboard, with it's variety of instructions actually wastes time and despite them claiming it is more efficient, something which could be achieved in a short time when dealing with an operator has now become a long and boring process, which wastes the customers time. This morning I held on for 09:14 listening to banal muzak while holding on to speak with Mr Bray. How can Discovery believe that any level of service of this nature is acceptable? Unfriendly is too mild a word!