I was admitted as an international patient to the hospital on 27th November for PAE treatment and discharged on 29th November. On admission, I was given a covid test and then all my belongings were searched before I was taken to my room. This has never happened to me in any other hospital in the world and was far from the "homely" description of the hospital on its website - it felt more like entering a rehab or penal institution. I was followed closely by staff from the Billing Section(or men in grey suits) who immediately asked me to make a bank transfer to the hospital which was more than double the fees I had been quoted on line by the doctor. I asked first for an explanation - I was told that the fee quoted was only the doctor’s fee and then for an estimated breakdown of the costs - this was refused - so a total lack of transparency from the outset.
Two nurses then spent three painful and unsuccessful attempts to insert a cannula into my arm. Finally, they requested a doctor - he took thirty seconds - which is probably about the average timing for this simple process - more concerns. I was informed that I should then fast for three hours in order to have a CT scan at 4.30 PM. The allocated time passed - I waited, requested information - no one was able to give me any reason for the delay and eventually after three hours I had the scan at 7.30 PM. After this, I was told that the report would be ready in 20 minutes and that a doctor would then come and discuss the report and the following day’s procedure. Again another long wait - no explanation - until a doctor visited me at 11.00 PM - he told me that I had an enlarged prostate(yes, this is the reason I have come for treatment) but could tell me nothing about the PAE procedure - great.
The next day my procedure was planned for 11.00 AM. My first visit, however, was from the men in grey suits who wanted to know where the money was. I showed them on my laptop the transfer tracking which clearly indicated that the money would arrive at the hospital by midday. My doctor called and told me that he would visit me before the procedure to discuss the process, risks etc. at 10.30 AM. There was no sign of him at this time. However, another doctor appeared to ask me to sign a consent form, confirming that the procedure, risks etc. had been explained to me. I pointed out that this had not happened and that I would wait for the doctor. She however insisted on my signing, saying that unless I complied, the procedure would not go ahead - medical ethics out of the window. Then began another long wait and frequent requests for information about the delays. The nurses all claimed to know nothing, so I requested to see someone from Customer Care. He came and promised to find out what was happening - I never saw him again. Finally, at 2.00 PM(3 hours late) I was taken down for the procedure. There the doctor informed me that the men in grey suits refused to authorise the treatment until the money transfer was sitting in the hospital bank - incredible. Consequently, the doctor was in a hurry and I received no full explanation about the procedure.
On day three it was agreed that I should be discharged once the billing process was completed.It turned out that the hospital owed me a refund of 25, 000 rupees - however, the men in grey suits would not authorise a cash refund as requested by me but that the money would be transferred back to the UK. To date I have received no response from the hospital regarding this refund or my email containing my bank account details(Mr Fernandes). I also noted that I was being charged for a thermometer. I pointed out that my temperature had not been taken once since admission(a clinical failure - vitals) only to be told that the records showed that my temperature remained normal. This is clearly a falsification of medical records. Another nurse called me a liar and claimed that she had personally taken my temperature. This is totally unacceptable and unprofessional conduct and is the first time in my lifetime to be accused of lying to hospital staff. This person should be disciplined and/or sent on a training course on patient care.
Needless to say I would never use this hospital again or recommend it to any other person. The management is poor, there is clinical falsification of records and poor medical ethics, non existent communication and a total lack of respect/trust for the patient. Finally there is a total lack of financial transparency of the costs and ironically I could have flown home to my own country and done the procedure for a lower cost.