New Hospital - but shocking customer service

<p>I really hope that you would be able to assist me in connection with this claim as well as our 1st time experience on your hospital and the service received.</p> <p> </p> <p>I found it really strange that I did not receive an e-mail/phonecall to rate your services after we visited your hospital – and I have been wanting to give you feedback even when we were still at the hospital – and kept putting it off – but then the next thing goes wrong and then the next that I can no longer bear it.</p> <p> </p> <p>On Monday night 25 July 2016 11h30pm we rushed our daughter: E N Joubert to hospital as she had an allergic reaction and collapsed at home. (She has never been allergic to anything!)We have been to our other hospitals before but decided to go to your hospital instead – even though you were the furthest away – as we believed that because you are new – your service would be better and that you would not be as busy as the bigger hospitals. Though my daughter was helped I do regret using your hospital and your services due to the following reasons:</p> <p> </p> <p>When we entered the hospital – we rushed all the way to the emergency side outside clearly marked – not knowing that you actually have to still use the main entrance – we rushed to the emergency section which has parking – but actually is only the ambulance entrance – not marked clearly that this entrance is only for the ambulances – waste of time with my daughter in her condition.<br />On arrival at the emergency unit we were pleased to see that there were not many people waiting to be helped –but this meant nothing– still we were kept waiting for a sister to come and get my daughter for quite some time. And even when the sister came to get my daughter – we waited very long for the Dr as he was busy with a baby – so is it 1 nurse and 1 Dr on duty? I cannot remember the name of the sister that eventually came to collect my daughter – but you should seriously consider staff that are truly professional at all times – even at the odd hours of the night and morning. She had no people s****s and did not empathise with my daughter at all – she was stone cold just there to do what she needed to do(I fully understand she deals with many trauma’s daily and is quite used to everything – but a nurse/sister is there to care for patients and treat them well and make them feel better – a s**** you cannot teach people – a special ability that they are born with) And yes my daughter is turning 16 – so no longer small or a baby but still – we were worried sick about our daughter and she was stressed out – not knowing what is going on because she fainted. This sister had no compassion at all – she was just doing her job and what was expected of her to earn a salary – not with passion and pride. She thought it was very funny but ridiculous that my daughter was afraid of a small needle and laughed about it a couple of times – really??? Do you know the background of this child before you start judging? This child was admitted to hospital quite a few times when she was a toddler and had to have many bloodtests done and drips – tiny toddler who had to be held down by sisters in order for them to get the needle or the drip in, a child with veins that are very difficult to find – so she developed a serious fear of needles – and cannot stand the site of them. Even after I told the sister this – she could not care less – she had a job to do and that was it. Please do understand that I am not just complaining for the sake of complaining but sharing our experience with you in order to better your service and to understand what we went through and why we are so terribly disappointed with your hospital and staff. My daughter generally has a problem sleeping as well so especially in new or strange places – so when I heard that she will be admitted later – I knew that she would not sleep at all and asked the nurse if they could please just give her something to sleep – she looked at me in shock – telling me that my daughter is way too young for sleeping tablets(I have NEVER given my daughter sleeping tablets – she mainly uses rescue remedy) – I explained that it did not have to be a sleeping tablet – anything that could just possibly calm her down and help her sleep – she then called the Dr told him my request but with attitude like I was being ridiculous and the Dr came and told me that he does not think it is good idea to give her sleeping tablets since she is so young – Once again I said – I am not asking for sleeping tablets – emphasis on “s” on the end – just something that could possibly help her – and he then subscribed some medication – which was a waste of time – my daughter never got this medication – in the ward once admitted 3am the morning I asked the nurse when can she get the tablet now that the Dr prescribed and was told that it is too late to have it now – as she needed to be awake when the Dr arrives in the morningL And my daughter did NOT SLEEP AT ALL!!!:(<br />After the Dr have seen my daughter eventually, we were informed that she will have to be submitted to hospital – this was after 1pm already – and she was then taken to the Surgical Ward. We did not feel welcome at all on arrival at this ward – felt more like we interupted – felt quite intimidated as if we just came in to spoil the sisters “time-off” since all other patients are sleeping and quiet. The look on their faces was as if to say – really did you have to come in right now????? We felt so unwelcome. When she was taken to the room – I think she was placed in 2B – they put all the lights on and were talking away loudly to each other(in the midnight/early morning hours quite loud and this woke all the patients in the room – I felt so bad for the other patients)They were busy admitting her on their side and doing what they needed to do – with me standing around with no chair to sit down. Eventually after about 40 minutes I asked if I could please just get a chair and the sister said: “No – you have to go!” I informed her then that my husband left and that I could not go home and will be staying with me daughter and then only did she try to go and find a chair for me. <br />My daughter closed her eyes for the 1st time at about 4am I think and 5minutes later the lights were switched on and everybody had to wake up in order to bath etc. The sisters were doing their rounds and came to my daughter and asked if she will bath now or later – and my daughter answered later only – and the nurse asked why? Uhm – how should we do this – she was admitted through emergencies so where will she have toiletries to bath??? How silly is this? Just like we had to plead with the nurses to bring my daughter some cold water with ice – hours later she got water which was room temperatureL<br />My daughter could finally get some coffee and a rusk I think at 5am – now for a mom who rushed her daughter to hospital at 11h30pm the previous night and had to stay awake through the entire drama and be there and deal with all of this – I myself would have LOVED to be offered some coffee since I spend the night there not sleeping and stressing(Beyond the call of duty?)(but I guess this is not part of the training manual or customer service since you have a coffee shop and you are there for the patients right? BUT this coffee shop opens at 9am only!!!!!)<br />My daughter was finally seen by the Dr who then wanted to conduct blood tests again – after blood test was already done at the emergencies- and my daughter had to give a urine sample(which was still standing at the side of her bed when she was released – no even looked at!) I informed the Dr that bloodtests was done already and since she was admitted to hospital with a serious allergic reaction – we needed to establish what caused this. The Dr said that we could go home and that he would personally make it his responsibility to phone us back with the results – as I asked whether we would be getting our results – this Dr made a serious personal commitment that he would PERSONALLY phone me back with the results – WHAT A LIE!!!!!!!!!! To date we have not had 1 phonecall even to inform us of the blood results. I find this shocking – but oh yes the DR is good and quick enough to send his BILL – he won’t forget about that!<br />Now we receive this bill – and only half of the bill has been paid by Discovery? Why? Please see the feedback below – AND the payment was taken from our savingsL really really unhappy about this!!!!!!! How was the admittance and authorisation only given for 26 July – if we arrived at the Hospital Monday Midnight 25 July? Please could you correct this as a matter of urgency in order for this claim to be paid in full and provide all the details to Discovery in order to correct this matter?<br />Please also confirm acceptance of this mail and can I please desperately have final feedback on the DR’s promise made but not kept regarding the bloodtest results.<br />I can confirm though that when the day staff took over in the Surgical Ward – it was like we were suddenly in a different hospital with new management – the sisters were on the ball – quick to help and really good – huge difference –which should not be the case – or was it because the matron was around then?<br /> </p> <p>I would really appreciate your assistance and feedback regarding this matter. Really disappointed in your hospital and in general with your staff and the experience we had. And now even the account is a mess!</p> <p> </p> <p> </p>