Unitas Hospital and Dr Shai Oren

When I was 2 months pregnant, I googled best rated Drs, that's when Dr Oren who practices at Unitas popped up. I started seeing him, and he gave me his fee prices for R 17500 first time consultation, then R 750 after.

26 September 2018 I received a fixed rate quotation for a private patient stating: Natural birth R 22 500, C-section R 32 500, Private room R 900 and Epidural R 2500. Exactly in that order.

I asked for a breakdown, none was given to me, so I felt like I'm covered if they haven't giving me a breakdown to this PRIVATE PATIENT FIXED RATE!

My medical insurance paid the money requested by unitas upfront when we had just arrived.

I was seeing Dr Oren once a month and paid cash every time I went to See him. He was always in a rush to treat me and also limiting our Baby scan every time when we asked.

My last scan a week before my delivery I was 40 weeks pregnant. he said my baby was weighing 2.1kg, told me my baby is small. I disagreed, told him my baby can't be that small, but hey, he's a Dr. Eventually he agreed and said something is maybe wrong with the scan machine. He also assured me that the baby will be around 2.5kg and baby looks good for a Natural birth.

On this day, he booked me for an induction for the date of the 11 December 2019, he doesn't mention anything else, or make us sign anything for this process

On the day of my induction 11 December 2018, my water broke around 7pm. My Husband and I rushed to the hospital, arrived around 8pm. I was immediately admitted. For the Shock of my life, I've booked a bed on the 14 September 2018, with my possible due date of 03December 2018 as advices by Dr Oren. I was in fact put in a room that looked and felt like a garage next to a basin. My Husband slept on the floor. That time they told me that my baby is still 2cm at 10pm, an induction didn't take place, as my water broke earlier.

The next day 12 December 2018 around 8am they gave me pain injections, around 11am I was given an epidural that was administered by Dr JJ Jakusko until 11:45am. Dr Oren said my baby is 8cm, he will be back tat 2pm to deliver the baby.

At 2pm, we started with the natural delivery, we tried pushing 5 times, but his head was too big to fully come out, he used a suction cup, but the head came out half way. Dr Oren kept pulling his head, was so traumatic! There was blood splattered all over the room, with the baby failing to come out, he suggested an emergency c-Section.he didn't take his time to check or feel why his head Is not coming out, that brings us to this past behaviour and neglecting a patient.

We then waited until 5pm to get a theatre room. Mind you, my Son's head was half way out for hours.

Eventually I deliver the baby at 5:05pm, weighing 3.2.1kg. After the delivery, they gave me a glimpse of my baby before taking him to the ICU, to get a brain scan (not in our knowledge). We didn't get to take a family photo, they basically just snatched him away, then they took me to my bed ward 1B.

A night before the delivery, they couldn't give me food because I had to be ready to deliver. The next day aswel, after my delivery I was offered no food. I was so hungry I ended up asking for something, then they gave me a piece of bread. So 12 December 2018, no food.

The next day 13 December 2018, still no food. My Husband had to bring me food that afternoon, then he took me to see our Son for the 1st time since birth to breastfeed. No one offered to take me there either.

That day at the ICU was very emotional and overwhelming. The staff was not too friendly.

14 December 2018, still no food. Dr Oren came to check on me that morning, to check my operation and told me I must use a scissor to remove my 2 stitches after 2 weeks.

I asked Dr Oren when my Son will be discharged, he said during the weekend he should be discharged. He also advised me that I can stay at the hospital as a lodger for R500 per night, so I can be closer to nurse him.

That afternoon before I was discharged, they gave me a R 10 000 invoice for the night that I've just arrived. That's where I started to see that things are about to be *****.

Or son was in ICU since he was born until the 20 Dec 2018, this was after they told us he will be out the weekend from his birth.

We also just foundout that they did a brain scan on him without our knowledge, because he might have had the worst during the delivery with Dr Oren.

Remember Unitas gave us a PRIVATE FIXED RATE. Without a breakdown, after we Had asked. So it's clear that with this much rate it will cover the delivery process

Then I start getting different bills from Drs.

1) DR JJ Juskus - Epidural. Which amounted to R 4 392.60.

Please note, the quotation said epidural is R 2500, not mentioning that is EPIDURAL FLUID only

2) Anesthesia. Never signed a consent form for these services. Dr Oren didn't mention anything about extra fees when he asked me to do a c-section. A few weeks after, we asked for a consent form that I signed for this procedure to take place. They did send it, but signed form was not in my name, they sent us someone's else's consent form and I've never seen a form like that.

3) Dr Shai Oren - Gynecologist. He sent his bill aswell of R 10 500. Never felt so used like this in my life. Please remember that this was the Dr that was with me the whole of my pregnancy. For him to not even give me an invoice the last time he saw us, so we are aware that my policy won't cover his fees. I also didn't sign anything with him to deliver my baby.

It all makes sense to say that, Unitas didn't give us a breakdown of the quote because we were not going to deliver there. Dr Oren didn't give us his charges because he waited until later when we deliver the baby. So that's how they entrapped us to deliver at Unitas with Dr Oren.

2 weeks after the delivery, my wound started leaking some yellow creamy FLUID. When I raised this issue to Dr Oren, he didn't care, and told me I must go get checked out at unitas. So he didn't care anymore.

A few weeks after, we went to collect our Son's birth certificate, we bumped into him, it was like he had seen a ghost when he saw us. He didn't even stop to check on me or our Son he delivered carelessly.

We sent this issue to Unitas, about the whole experience. They asked us to come to the hospital for a feedback.

We went to get the feedback. The only feedback we got from the Hospital General manager, was an apology regarding food, and that they don't give a breakdown because private patience pay different amounts. So according to them, that's why they only gave us a breakdown after delivery. There was no apology at all, we wasted our time going there, no conclusion even what so ever, instead we left there more upset and feeling disappointed.

Then, after the "so called feedback", we went to Dr Oren's office to ask for a copy of my file. They couldn't provide to us, instead they told us that it's for legal purposes, they'll send us a report. Till this day, no report and no response.

Weeks later, we sent another email to express our disappointment with the feedback. They're still not apologetic for the whole experience they put us through, instead they only raise the food situation.

In conclusion, Unitas and Dr Oren entrapped us to deliver at Unitas with hidden cost, bad service given to us and negligence for our emotions and comments raised.

We have been dealing with Eugene Ferreira Hospital General Manager, Dr Erich Bock Regional Director Netcare Hospitals and Jacques Du Plessis Managing Director Netcare Hospital Division,

And to date this matter has not been resolved,and all that they have apologised for ,is the fact that I did not get food!!!!!!

I will seriously urge you to think twice,before using Unitas or any Netcare facility as they clearly are not Customer orientated and definitely do not care for the wellbeing of their Customers,

They are clearly in the business of entrapping Customers for their own financial gain…….

Lastly, be aware of gynaecologist Dr Shai Oren Once you have delivered,that is where it ends.Also be very aware, he will not make you sign any Account Liability documentation, or will he inform you of his charges,but once he has delivered your baby, he will send you an invoice

Please if you have had any similar experience with Unitas,Netcare or Dr Shai Oren,please send me an E-mail to **********

Thank you