Unsatisfactory service, Horrible ethics and Zero Service

To whom it may concern:

Re: Horrible and ********* service received at Netcare Alberton. Date of admission: 28 April 2024 Date of discharge: 03 May 2024

My Mother (Patient Stella Sekhonyana) went into the hospital Sunday the 28th through the emergency around 12h00 noon with Spine and back pain and a limping left leg. The emergency was full and she stayed. She received an injection (pain medication) and was admitted and taken to Section 5 Second floor ward at 20h00 under Dr Mbuyane.

Dr Nkala (Dr Mbuyane wasn't available) came to assess the situation on Monday and was shown patients previous scans and results and she advised that an MIR would have to be taken and she or the Dr would advise thereafter.

Nurses at the station advised that someone from Radiology would call medical aid to confirm authorization of the scans and they would then take patient for the MIR. Monday evening, the patient had not gone for the scan because "they couldn't get ahold of Bankmed".

Tuesday, at 12h10 noon, I (daughter) called bankmed on behalf of the patient and requested scans authorization. Which they provided to me with code (***). Patient received a welcome to netcare sms at 12h17. I then proceeded on behalf of the patient to go to the nurses station at section 5 and asked the nurse to relay the information to the Radiology department. Of which the nurse called in my presence (time stamp around 12h33/12h36) and she advised that patient Sekhonyana has received the scan authorization. The person on the other side of the phone insisted that they would call Bankmed themselves. Nurse proceeded to say that I have the code, should i come in person to provide them with the Auth number and they insisted that they would call medical aid and come to collect patient for the scan.

During the course of the day, the Dr (Nkala) came to see the patient and asked about the MIR and the nurse said radiology will come and collect her. Tuesday went by and the patient went to sleep without having her scans done while the nurses kept insisting that "radiology will come collect her".

Wednesday was a public holiday. Bare in mind, the patients hospital stay was due to expire on the 01st May 2024 at 12h59 and so would the scan authorization. A lady by the name of Amanda from radiology called the patient in a very rude manner, advising her that the scan code had expired and she would then have to pay the radiology scans cash. While the patient is sick, unattended to and confused, she called me (daughter) to try and resolve.

Upon numerous tries I (daughter) finally got ahold of the radiology department and spoke to this Amanda lady and I then asked why they scans were not done on the 30th when the authorization was approved especially when i tried giving them the auth number to make it easier on them. She kept insisting that it has expired and that there isn't much they can do. She went on to explain that they tried getting ahold of medical aid but couldn't and that I would have to ask Dr Mbuyane to submit an extention request and that would not be attended to immediately. I told her I would take my chances, said thank you and hung up. Patient went on to stay yet another day at the hospital with nothing happening.

Thursday, the irate patient wanted to discharge herself and the nurses called Dr Mbuyane who was in surgery and asked that they tell her to atleast wait for him to see her after surgery. He came after 16h00 and immediately submitted the extention of stay to her medical aid. He then asked her to stay as she will go for the scans either that evening or on Friday.

Friday came and the patient got out of bed numerous times, trying to find out what the hold up is because she kept being told "Radiology is coming to fetch you". An assisting nurse then started being proactive in calling medical aid to see how far the approval is since Radiology didn't conduct the scan when they should have (30th April). At this point she was in more pain, irritable and didn't want to be at the hospital anymore. Dr Mbuyane then decided to discharge the patient because there wasn't any movement on her being attended to giving her a sick note, a referral for out of hospital scans and a script for pain meds.

Findings from medical aid (bankmed). 1. Bankmed confirmed through customer remarks and call recordings that the hospital and MIR authorization was given on the 30th April 2024. 2. They have no record of anyone calling requesting an authorization for patient Stella Sekhonyana before the 02nd May 2024. Only on the 02nd May did they receive multiple calls from a Mariah from Radiology department.

In essence, patient came in on Sunday and stayed 6 whole days without the necessary attention provided. She now has to pay from her own pocket for an MIR scan that was approved by her scheme which wasn't done because of negligence from your Radiology department. Even when I went above and beyond to offer them the Auth number so they don't have to call Bankmed, they still rejected that act and pretended as though they know what to do and will have it done but it wasn't.

The patient was fooled multiple times by being told that "Radiology is coming to collect you for your scans" when that was a blatant lie.

Today, the 06 May 2024, she still has pain, is unable to go to work and is sitting with a possible spine injury that may require surgery yet she was hospitalized for 6 days and came back home with absolutely no answers.

To say I am disappointed is not enough. It is utter disgust that the hospital and it's employees would conduct themselves in this manner when we regard the hospital as a safe space for excellence health services. This service does not equate to the hospitals ethics.

Please resolve with urgent assistance