Medi-Clinic Morningside - Pathetic

This review is related to the Emergency Unit System and not aimed to criticize the healthcare staff whose (in my opinion) lacked workspace motivation and support by the hospital managers and tried their best.

The ER unit is beyond any level of disappointment. Starting from lacking of trolly/wheelchair allocated staff at the entrance till the greedy parking system.

I had my child with a life-threatening emergency on Saturday night, I drove to Mediclinic Morningside, with one mission - make sure my child is safe and will have access to ER services should the necessity arise.

First - Upon arriving to the ER gate, the parking station staff was really ********, acting like she's working at a shopping mall not an ER department. It took her 2-min to leave her thrown/station and come to assist us.

Second - I parked near the ER room entrance, at a glance, only one wheelchair was left inside the parking, tried to look for a staff to help, no one?

Third - I placed my child on the wheelchair and aimed to the entrance, it was half-locked, I couldn't even squeeze the chair through, the staff inside could see my struggle, yet none offered any help, thanks to one customer who jumped and offered an assistant.

Fourth - I reached the station, and the first thing the lady did is handing me a form to complete? No respect to how serious the patient is? Only when I stressed them to have someone to triage my child, they asked me to fill the form inside?

Fifth - My child triage was a joke. Despite the high temperature, the physician condition and high-stress level presented with, they triaged the child as Green?

Sixth - I handed in the form, medical aid car and my ID, I had to spend another 10min to open file (system was down).

Seventh - Went inside to check on my child, no one were attending his stressful status, 10min later a nurse came to administer some medicine? I asked her if my child been examined by the Doctor on call, she rep**** NO BUT WE NEED TO GIVE HIM SOMETHING FOR HEADACHE? My child was badly stressed, high temperature, and shivering like a windmill, and now they wanna give medicine before any assessment.

Eighth - I asked for the Dr to talk to, he came, I introduced myself as a HCP and explained my concerns and why I had to bring my child to ER, worrying of any complication/deterioration.

Ninth - From here, I must admit that the on-call Dr was overwhelmed with many cases, unable to focus, confused? I must admit I felt sorry for him. Yet, this is a clear sign that Mediclinic is cutting corners to save money by appointing one Dr to deal with every ER?

Tenth - The electricity was bad. Despite no loadshedding in the area, the electricity kept going off-on every 20-30 min? NO generator?

Eleventh - No one place my child on vital monitoring till discharge? No Oxygen was given despite the fact my child was distressed, no one bothers to switch on the vitals monitor which was in fact unplugged (maybe it worth more than patient's life?)

Twelfth - I had to challenge many UNNECESSARY costs, such as blood tests (which in my opinion a waste = doesn't speak to my child's reason to attend ER).

Finally, my child was discharged after 1.5-2 hrs, and I was stopped by the receptionists, to PAY the BILL? I really felt like we were like shoppers at Woolies? There's not even a break-down indicating the cost - I only been told that the total fee = Dr Fee + Hospital Fee? Compared to other hospitals like Netcare of Life, there suppose to be a detailed breakdown of what has been done?

The cherries on the top of this cupcake were: * The ER vending machine charged my R50 for a 500ml bottle of still water. * I ended up paying R8 for Parking?

Anyway - This is the last time I will be attending this GARAGE, and will never recommend Mediclinic to any of my society and connection. If the ER fail, imagine the rest of the facility.

ps. Kindly, don't bother responding to this, nor ask me to email you - if you care, you've got the whole story above. Piece of advice "1st step in solving any problem is by admitting there's one? Your system has failed". Tx