Feb 14, 2011 04:52 PM
12785 Views
(Updated Apr 08, 2012 10:18 PM)
Dear Columbia Asia Gurgaon;
Well first let me congratulate for such a luxurious and well maintained building to name it as a hospital might we need a few different words. I’m here to share my experiences with the hospital. It had a good start but an unpredictable ending from a patient side.
On 17th Jan 2011 I had experienced a sudden pain in my abdomen and got admitted same day on the suggestion of a general surgeon in CA. For the first one hour we are just struggling to find a right doctor as we have mostly visiting doctors as visiting faculties in MBA Colleges. On enquiring from reception we come to know that say we have to pay each doctor separately (and that too 400 Rupees for a specialist and 600 Rupees for a super specialist (May be he is a superman)) for consultation despite the fact that the patient wish to visit an urologist or a Gastroenterologistbut since no one is available at that time the pain led him to visit a general surgeon as suggested by a Medical officer. Whatever the patient got admitted after so many documentation and waiting time for an hour for processing papers of Insurance (Yeah I remember how people are happy in hospital that you are insured) and he went through many tests, CT Scans and luckily doctors identified a 19mm stone in ureter.
The Verdict: Patient need to go through uretero renoscopy lithotripsy( well its simply means laser operation).
After this a most common query of a patient with the doctor how much it costs? Doctor: 30-35K.
Patient after hearing this was in a dilemma as it’s a big sum but considering his insurance policy he gave go ahead considering the doctor trust in patient to heal me and hospital’s infrastructure.
Finally the operation went successfully over and I stayed there for 3 days and waiting to get discharge on 21-1-2011. Me and my parents told that Insurance company is not giving the approval so the process of discharging is delayed. I asked the insurer and they said that they already have approved around 37000 rupees. I’m still in dilemma and confirm the hospital finance department again and I got the same reply- Approval is not received from Insurance Company. I called canteen for a water bottle which never came thou the dietician knew that this patient is suggested to have at least 3 liters water a day. I called my HR in office and he said that it’s cashless; it should not be a problem. I was confused and I called now Insurer HO in Mumbai and they confirmed me something which shocked me to my core. The claim demanded by Columbia Asia Gurgaon is not 30000 not 40000, not 50000, But 70000 rupees for a stone removal laser operation. I ended up paying balance from my pockets as insurance company rejected the claim.
All those care, love and respect for hospital and staff shattered in a second. To add more a stent placed need to be removed after 10 days which later I come to know hospital is asking more amount to remove the same. But then read on… I called few doctors and hospitals to know how much we need to pay to remove a stent, the replies came 1000 rupees; 1500 rupees to the maximum. I approached Columbia Asia asking the same. Could you all imagine the figure Columbia Asia stated to my insurance company again for this and which even got rejected -18000 rupees. Yes 18000 INR for a hardly 5-10 minutes process. The same I get it done from a different hospital in Just 1500/- by equally competent doctors.
My questions to Columbia Asia will be never ending but still I would like to ask few
1) If the hospital is so organized and maintained why the company website or hospital information board do not show the amount involved in various treatments. Right to information is every citizen’s right and you are very much answerable for the same. A sorry or apology cannot pacify the type of treatment you and other similar hospitals do with patients.
2) If a person is insured do you guys take the patient for granted? And by making huge bills you are taking money from Insurance Company as well as from patients. Hope the readers will choose a better Word for this intent of the hospitals.
3) Does your staff responsibilities ended on the day of discharge of patients. Don’t you charge for the room for that day? Yes You Do.
And yes finally at the time of settling accounts one guy come running that my canteen bill is pending amount was just 60 INR ; a question your canteen didn’t have time to provide a water bottle to a patient but have a time to provide a bill for chicken sandwich to a patient who is a vegetarian. May be the word shame felt shame by now.
Regards
AVA
Disclaimer : This is a True Event
Reader's Comments would be appreciated
