On the day of our admission, including the patient, we were forced to wait for four long hours for a room assignment. This initial disappointment was just the beginning of a series of letdowns. After this extensive wait, we were informed that the only available room was a twin sharing one, despite our initial confirmation for a single room. Since the surgery was scheduled for the next day, we reluctantly accepted the twin sharing room, with a promise that we would be moved to a single room the following day, pending approval from the floor manager. I took it upon myself to pursue this with the floor manager, Vaishnavi, on the 9th floor(D wing).
After numerous follow-ups, we were granted permission to switch to a single room, which took place around 6 pm on October 17, 2023, right after the patient was transferred to the ICU following surgery. We were relieved to finally get the room we had initially requested. However, we soon encountered yet another setback - an attendant had moved into the single room, unaware that occupants cannot stay in the room while the patient is in the ICU. We were never informed about this, which would have been the responsibility of Vaishnavi, the floor manager, as per the process.
Around 10 pm that night, an individual named Ramesh, whom we had not dealt with previously, abruptly entered the single room and rudely asked the attendant to vacate. She requested him to consult Vaishnavi before taking any action. He left without further discussion. It later became apparent that Ramesh was also a floor manager.
On the following day, October 18, 2023, we raised the issue with Vaishnavi, expressing our dissatisfaction with Ramesh’s behavior. She assured us that it was a mistake on their part and would be rectified. However, she mentioned that, due to our insurance, we needed to sign a form to resolve the issue. Both the attendant and I repeatedly sought confirmation that we would not be charged, and she repeatedly assured us that we would not incur any charges. Regrettably, we trusted her and signed the form.
Around noon of 18th October’23, we received a call from the same individual named Ramesh, who had been discourteous earlier, stating that since we hadn’t vacated the room, we would be charged. I attempted to explain the situation, but he was rude and uncooperative, refusing to let me even speak. I had to involve Vaishnavi in a conference call. To our surprise, Vaishnavi, who had been diligent until then, claimed that, as per hospital policy, room charges would indeed be applied, despite the lack of prior communication.
I was genuinely astounded by the depths to which someone could descend and conduct themselves in such an unprofessional fashion while boldly fabricating the truth. That was the case with Vaishnavi.
Clearly, there was a significant communication gap within their departments. The floor managers were unaware of the patient’s status or when they would be discharged from the ICU. More importantly, they failed to inform us about potential charges or the hospital’s policy regarding room occupancy while the patient is in the ICU. This indicated a lack of inter-departmental communication and a deficiency in professional ethics. The mismanagement and miscommunication by Ramesh and Vaishnavi resulted in us being unfairly billed by the hospital.
I attempted to address this issue with the hospital’s management as soon as I learned about the charges on the day of discharge, but received no assistance. I was compelled to pay the unjust special room charges amounting to Rs 9591.75. I also submitted a written complaint against both floor managers to Mr. Anshu, who was the floor manager on the day of discharge. Regrettably, it seems to be a mere formality, and I doubt any action will be taken. It appears that there is no one willing to listen to and understand customer concerns; they appear solely focused on financial gains. This leaves me questioning the ethics of earning money in this manner, and I hold more respect for a beggar than individuals like Ramesh and Vaishnavi, and anyone involved in these unethical practices. Such behavior is truly shameful. If KIMS management is reading this, I’d request them to respectfully refund my hard earned money and take strict action against Ramesh and Vaishnavi.