Ever felt like a slimeball while in a hospital because of their awful treatment and policies toward patients? I have for the first time, and I wasn’t very happy about it.
So I went for a medical checkup the other day, I arrived at this semi hospital and I was the only one there, and this was how it went when I got to the reception:
Me: Hi, I would like to have my routine medical check-up please.
Receptionist: TAKE CARD.
Me: Sorry? You’re asking for my insurance and ID?
*I was about to place my cards on the table*
Receptionist: NO. CARD. TAKE CARD.
Me: What card??
Receptionist: NUMBER CARD.
*I’m looking around and nobody’s there except for me*
Me: But there’s nobody here?
Receptionist: TAKE CARD.
So I went along with her unorthodox behavior and took a card to “wait my turnâ€. Keep in mind that the card machine was the most complicated thing - I had to click on 5 buttons to get the card. I went back to the receptionist:
Me: Here’s your card. May we continue?
Receptionist: Call insurance.
Me: Excuse me? Isn’t that your job?
Receptionist: Call insurance.
Me: But I’ve never called them before! What kind of a hospital is this?
Receptionist: Call insurance.
So I called my bloody insurance, and while on the phone with them I’m eyeballing the receptionist. Finally, she managed to get my papers together, and after 40 minutes, I was able to get out of the reception area. I felt it was a milestone.
So I went to see the Doctor and got the checkups and all that, and as I was about to leave, the receptionist called:
Receptionist: Pay money.
Me: WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU I HAVE GIVEN YOU MY INSURANCE AND YOU MADE ME CALL THEM AND NOW YOU WANT ME TO PAY??
Receptionist: Must pay.
Me: I’ll tell you what, “CALL INSURANCEâ€.
I ended up paying what my insurance should have paid. I was so disappointed and wanted to babble some more but I was in a hurry to get out of that place.
The day after, I had to see the doctor again as the results were out. So the same receptionist was there, I picked a “cardâ€, waited for my turn, and I was just eyeballing the receptionist from a distance. I was starting to enjoy this.
When I saw the doctor, he prescribed some multivitamins and I thought it was over at that point. Then I went to pick a “card†to get to the pharmacy, and when I finally got to the counter, the pharmacist says:
Pharmacist: You must pay.
Me: Check your papers I am insured, this is very improfessional.
Pharmacist: I saw your insurance, but you must pay.
Me: I’ve never had to pay with this insurance and I’ve been to a lot of hospitals / clinics, WHY do I have to pay YOU??
Pharmacist: Mam you must pay.
At this point I just burst out screaming at the pharmacist and also at everyone who was there who worked at this place, receiving plenty of head-turns and patients looking startled, I could also see the receptionist looking from a distance.
“I’ve never had this sort of treatment as a patient, this is the worst place I’ve EVER been to and I’m going to make an official complaint about this place and I’m not coming here ever again!â€
I ended up paying for the meds.
It really was the worst treatment I’ve had as a patient, and I was completely disappointed because of the low standards they lived by. By low standards I mean that the patient comes last with them - it’s completely money driven that they forget they absolutely cannot function if patients were not there.
Hospitals / clinics should be a place where the patient feels safe, no matter what kind of problem they had whether it being big or small. We shouldn’t feel hopeless in this kind of situation. I was just very unhappy with their horrible service and dreadful support. Don’t go there.
On another note, it was delightful to have pouring rain in Fujairah a few times. There’s a hilarious video of a guy kayaking on water rain in Al Fugait, Dibba. The day after the rain, I went for a car-wash - but the minute they finished cleaning the car, drops of rain started pouring in again. I was happy to see that - the opposite of what you thought!
Anyone been to Al Fugait? It’s like the Miami of the UAE. Even better.
This picture was taken before it started pouring heavily. It was around 5PM but the clouds made it look like it was 7PM.
Where did you spend your rainy days? And did you have a similar experience as a patient?
I’ll be happy to hear from you, pop in my instagram account to check my latest: @Sindiya23.
Until next time, Fajrawis,
Sindiya, The Sign.
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