HORRIFIC AND UNPROFESSIONAL TREATMENT FROM ADMIN STAFF AT TBT

Madelein Smit and Molebogeng Moloto from The Birthing Team (TBT) at Femina Netcare in Pretoria have been highly unprofessional and *********** to work with and have both made my pregnancy journey with TBT a horrible experience. Note that the doctors and Nurse Katlego were always pleasant, helpful and a delight to work with and it is a pity that the administration office would ruin their reputation like this. Please see my email of complaint to the head matron of the hospital to fully understand what I dealt with during my time with the programme:

I am extremely appalled by the service I received from The Birthing Team from 25 June to date.

I am currently 37 weeks pregnant and unfortunately I have nothing good to say about my experience with the programme. Unfortunately we have decided to voluntarily leave the program as we were unable to pay the global fee before 36 weeks. Although Lebo was kind enough to assist us by pushing this date back for us until the first week of November, we still would not have been able to provide the outstanding balance. Upon looking at the contract I have signed, it states that refunds will be dealt with as follows: the first assessment fee is non-refundable If I leave the maternity programme before being admitted for my delivery due to any clinical reason determined by TBT, I will be refunded the excess that I have already paid according to TBT Refund Schedule.

With that said, we tried to request the refund schedule. To us, it seemed as though TBT were purposely avoiding my partners calls not only with regards to this matter but with any queries or questions that we may have had prior to this. When he was constantly trying to get through to TBT and repeatedly being ignored, when I would call, Madelein would answer. Eventually, after numerous calls and emails, Lebo provided my partner with the Refund Schedule which stated that money was owed to TBT. He requested a detailed calculation of how the outstanding fee amounted to the R5574 to which she responded 4-5 days later that TBT had a global fee and does not do itemized billing. All he requested was a breakdown of what was provided to us, how much that costs and what exactly we needed to pay for because we did not even receive the full benefits of the programme which is why we feel that this matter should be escalated.

At my first assessment appointment, I waited 2 hours before I was seen of which Madelein refused to let me use the bathroom, as she stated I needed to see the doctor first. Had she explained to me that a urine sample would be required I’m sure I could’ve used the bathroom beforehand instead of trying to hold in my pee for more than 2 hours at 18 weeks pregnant. Since then, Madelein has given me the wrong appointment bookings, I’ve missed scans that the doctor said I was meant to have, and even the nurse complained about her incompetence when it comes to booking appointments. On one occurrence I was 10-15 mins late, the first thing Madelein did was shout at me in front of other patients when I walked through the door for being late as it pushes everyone behind schedule and then told me that I have to call if I’m going to be late, yet I’m waiting over an hour to be seen at every appointment and do not get informed on days when TBT is running late. Her attitude is ********** and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

On the 12th of August, I requested a proof of pregnancy letter via email for my tertiary institution regarding exams to which Madelein responded by saying that only the doctor can provide the letter and that the doctor only comes in on Tuesdays. On the 17th of August, I sent an email reminding Madelein to obtain the letter for me which she noted, and then on the 25th of August, she sent me the doctors letter which had the incorrect information on it (see attachment). The letter stated that at the 25th of August I was 28 weeks pregnant and due the 16th of November when the correct information should’ve been that I was due the 26th of November and 26 weeks pregnant at the time. I sent her the TBT card that I received on my assessment day which also states the 26th of November. On the 1st of September, I reminded her again to ask the doctor for the correct letter and she sent me a letter where the due date was scratched out and changed, but the letter was still dated the 25th of August. This is highly unprofessional, whether she changed the letter herself or actually got the doctor to do it, it should not have taken 3 weeks to receive a doctors letter with the incorrect information and forged corrections made to the letter.

In the email interactions between Lebo and my partner I find it very concerning as to why she cannot provide us with HOW she came up with the outstanding value. We do understand that TBT makes use of a global fee, and we are not disputing that. What we want to know is how the calculating is considered so that we understand exactly what it is we are paying for. Lebo is constantly referring us to the contract but the contract does not state anything about the “voluntary leave” that she tells us to look at or the breakdown of this global fee that she keeps referring to. She has been nothing but abrupt in her communication with us, we have to call the reception for her to respond to emails, and that’s only when and if she eventually decides to answer any of our calls.

Yesterday I enquired telephonically about the confirmation of my blood type of which Madelein said she cannot provide information over the phone. I then emailed her and she said that she cannot provide that information because of the outstanding fee amount. Why this could not be communicated over the phone is beyond me as she said that it can only be communicated with the patient, however, I was the patient that communicated with her. Lebo also refused to listen to what I had to say when speaking to her telephonically, she spoke over me and kept on talking about the global fee which was not what I was enquiring about! The attitude, incompetence and rudeness of these two women was the absolute last straw, as it would be for anyone that had to deal with this kind of service and which is the main reason for my mother shouting at Madelein over the phone because she knew all my complaints from the first day. Please see attached screenshot of the way she communicates to people.