Faults Faults

Several failed attempts to the 'M' bank to trace my credt card application status had triggered me to write this. I tried once in the morning and was put on hold for 5 mins without any response...all I hear was .."sorry..all our executives are still busy". A while ago I remembered that I still have not receive my redemption item from the H Bank, so I called to check. Within 1 minute I had a respond and was attended to very swiftly. The call ended within 5 mins...this is what efficiency is all about. I followed with another call to the M Bank...failed again...no response..their executives are always busy.

This brings me to my awful experience discharging from the P Hospital on the 7th of Feb. They started to process at 5pm. Since I am using an insurance medical card, I was warned that it will take some time. We waited and waited (at the ward)..but they keep telling us that it's under process. Only at 7ish I was told that the insurance co. have yet to approve my case, I decided to call my insurance agent then. First thing he asked was.."why didnt you call me earlier" - I didnt know how to react to that question.

Agent called back within minutes to say that the ins. co. is waiting for some documents - an imaging scan and a blood test result. I did not have any imaging done nor blood test, the ward nurse only sent over a blood test result that was done much earlier during diagnosis stage.

We later clarified that there wasnt any imaging and the only lab investigation ordered will only have results in 1 week's time. Later, (by agent) I was told that my bill was as high as $18k..and they are seeking approval from higher authority - that will take about 30 mins. It was past 8pm by then.

Throughout the whole process, it involved the ward nurses, myself, my agent, the hospital billing dept, and the insurance co. staff. It was so frustating that nobody in the hospital could tell me or help me straighten things up. I have to rely on my agent to get info..and seek frther clarification from the ward nurse and the ward nurse had to call her colleague at the billings dept. You see the ridiculous process...??

Alas...at 9pm I was told to go down to the A&E to make some additional $40+ ,...the nurse ward had no idea what that was all about. Fortunately..the ward nurse was sane enough for not insisting that I return to ward to get my medication after payment - she sent a trainee nurse to go with me.

So...there I was..with fresh wounds from the procedure & occassional post surgical diaghram ache (as a result of CO2 gases used during the ops - I was told)....I walked all the way to the A&E and welcomed by ..."we didnt receive any info from billing dept" from the A&E nurses!!

By..was I fuming by then. I told them I have not ate anything since 3pm, I am tired and hungry now...can I just leave. They gave me an unsymphatetic "no". Minutes later...the billings clerk arrived with her file and bags (ready to go home) and demanded that I pay another $41. When we asked further..what is the chargs about...she called the insurance co. and passed the phone to me. The $41 is for sanitary towels and the DVD...I questioned why ?? I ended up having to wait another few mins and later the ins. staff asked for the hospital staff. When I looked up...the billing clerk has gone home!!

The ins. staff...spent another 5-10 mins with the cashier to reverse the sanitary towel charge. Means I only have to pay for the DVD. I wanted to just pay and leave but they won't let me go until their system says $20 instead of $41. Well...they are fortunate that both my brother and I hav in-born gentically high level of patience.

I told my doc about this...and he apologised. He added that the hospital has some ISO certification whereby admission & discharge should be done withina specific time.

As Cowie will probably say...may be it's me...I wasn't fierce enough.