Denied the treatment at Medicross Westering, Port Elizabeth for no reason

I am horrified at the treatment that has been handed out to me by Medicross Westering, Port Elizabeth after I was denied the treatment that was booked for Friday 31st August at 09h30. From my limited experience of the medical profession, there has always been an underlying moral and ethical principle that health care will not be denied to patients, especially is they have either private funds or a medical aid – I have both.

EVENTS LEADING TO COMPLAINT On Tuesday 21st August I visited Dr. Gilbert Kleyn, Maxillo-facial surgeon, Medicross Westering, Port Elizabeth to discuss an extraction. It was agreed that the procedure would take place on either the 30th or 31st August at 09h30 – the former date being if a cancellation occurred. Being an epileptic the procedure would be under general anesthetic. At the reception, Megan Liberty promised to contact Discovery, let me know which date the procedure be on, if I could to take epileptic medication on the appointed day, and amongst other things and let me know about arrival time at the clinic. Regrettably, the statement and receipt printed by Megan for payment of the consultation were for another patient. I waited while she printed new ones – whilst she chattered to colleagues.

Returning home I tried to submit the statement to Discovery, which was rejected because Megan had inserted the wrong codes. In addition, the telephone number on the invoice was incorrect. I had spent several days dialing the wrong number, finally getting the (hopefully) correct codes on Tuesday 28th August, and later spoke to Megan to find out if the procedure was Thursday or Friday. Megan had no answers at that point, and promised to get back to me.

On Wednesday 29th August, over a week after my initial appointment and a day before the possible surgery, I called again. Megan told that as the appointment was at 09h30 on Friday 31st August, I needed to be at the clinic at 09h00. All other questions remained unanswered, such as payment by Discovery, taking epileptic medication on the day of the procedure, duration of the procedure as I needed to book an Uber to take me home, etc.

I called again on Thursday morning, 30th August. A very irritated Megan assured me that she’d contact me later. At 10h30 we were entertaining our next door neighbour when Megan called. Discovery had not rep**** to Medicross, hence I would have to pay the full amount. Dr. Kleyn’s fee was R2340.00 (my rounding up), the anesthetist’s R1000.00. Credit cards were was acceptable. I asked for a follow-up with Discovery. I had already contacted them to check my savings (about R2400.00) and had a reference number. Discovery is prompt replying to questions and claims. It seemed strange that I could contact them, but Medicross could not in ten days. Megan confirmed that I would have to be at the clinic at 09h00. No news yet on the epileptic medication. I repeated the information back to Megan in front of my wife and neighbour (Dr. Jo Louw, a retired anesthetist - who answered my concern about the epileptic medication).

At 14h00 Megan called saying that Discovery would not cover fees. I was irritated because I knew funds were available (but I have a reference number to follow up on). Megan handed the phone to another person (Michelle??) who said that I would have to bring R2800.00 cash for the anesthetist as well as my credit card to pay Dr. Kleyn. MY COMPLAINT • Extremely late and altered information It is difficult to understand why this information was not spoken about several days before. In my view, phoning a patient late in the afternoon before the morning procedure demanding “cash or we will postpone” is *********! (Still no news about the epileptic medication). At 14h37 I received an SMS on Messenger which said that my appointment had been brought forward to 08h00. I rep**** back on Messenger that it was too late for me to change arrangements. I asked for all quotations/invoices to be emailed and I would EFT all payments and bank receipts before the next day. I said that the reason was that I mistrusted the change in rand value and I wanted all process to be legal Annexure 1 (scan of the SMS sent to Medicross)

• Request for information in writing and refusal of invoices I then sent a confirming email to Medicross at 15h37 repeating the notes on Messenger with the requests for invoices and email address forward payment receipts. Annexure 2 (email sent to Medicross confirming SMS’s - 30th August) Megan then called at 16h20 to ask if I had the R2800.00 cash on hand. I repeated that I wanted emailed invoices to effect EFT payments. At this point Megan refused to talk with me, and handed the phone to Meryl, who insisted that I bring cash or the procedure would be postponed “…till I could get the funds together…” I again explained that I mistrusted the change in rand value of the anesthetist, and I asked (many times) what the issues were in getting invoices from both doctors. I would pay both accounts before I got to Medicross. Meryl refused to answer this question concerning the anesthetist's invoice being emailed and paid in advance. I then asked her to give me the name of the anesthetist and contact details and I would call him/her. She said it was Dr. Troon, but refused to give me any details again insisting that I bring cash or the appointment would be cancelled. I asked for the practice managers details, but this too was refused. I even suggested that as this was not my mistake, and as I offered to pay by EFT, Medicross contact Dr. Troon and explain the situation. This suggestion was ignored.

 Meryl was clear that Medicross would not contact Dr. Troon. If I wanted an invoice I could contact his/her office after payment, but until then she would not give me any contact details.

 Meryl was insistent that she would not discuss the matter with her practice manager.

Meryl’s clear-cut answer to any suggestion or question in essence (to my understanding) was; you will trust us that this is the correct amount even though we refuse to give it to you in writing, you will pay R2800 in cash, you will not be provided with any documentation in advance, you cannot – and we will not contact Dr. Troon, you cannot speak to the practice manager or have address details, and we have the right to refuse treatment even though you are offing a legal form of payment before a procedure.

• Insinuations and innuendos Meryl continuously imp**** that I did not have the funds to pay for this procedure. Her repeated reply to my question of why an EFT payment could take place after Medicross emailed the invoice to me was “…Mr. Shapiro, I suggest we cancel the appointment and you make it when you have the funds…” If Medicross record their telephonic conversations they will have this on their records. This is insulting!

• Refusal by Medicross to provide medical attention for no understandable reason After an uproarious conversation with Meryl where she consistently alluded to my poverty and refused to answer logical questions, the conversation ended antagonistically. At 17h41 I received a message that the procedure had been cancelled, but no reason was given – once again. Therefore I was denied medical treatment by Medicross, their staff or representatives for no legal moral or ethical reason when I clearly, verbally and in writing, volunteered to do an EFT on legally provided documentation before the procedure. Medicross refused to provide any logical answers why I was denied treatment The money would have been in the doctor's accounts before they came to work on the day of the procedure