THE management and staff of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation must be congratulated for improving service delivery. However, there is still room for developing interpersonal skills of staff. I was recently involved in an accident, which afforded me the opportunity to compare the services delivered by GPHC to that of a popular private City hospital.
My encounter at the private hospital made me realise that prompt attention at the door and placement on a bed do not mean swift action to get the patient better. For that private hospital, “prompt attention” means the patient forking out bank card, cash or cheque at the cash register.
To make a long story short, I will provide a synopsis. A relative and I arrived at the private hospital about 08:20am; it was not until something to 10:00am that she was sent to the operating theatre.
During that time, for every service provided to the patient, cash was demanded upfront. At one point, I was forced to ask the doctor’s receptionist to show some courtesy. I told her, “Had we not the money to pay, we would not have come here; money is not a problem; just give us some courtesy and wait a little I will come to you.”
The hospital’s service was also sloppy. For instance, my relative was forced to wait in agonizing pain for an extra half-hour because the nurse or whoever is responsible forgot to send the blood sample to the lab for testing. In addition, when my relative arrived at the Operating Theatre room door, no one was there to receive her.
Frustrated by the hospital’s discourteous behaviour, I went to GPHC to take care of my injury. I arrived at GPHC and waited a little. I was processed by the triage nurse, and subsequently called to see a doctor. I was sent for an X-ray. I waited about 20 minutes for the X-ray and result. I went back to a doctor, who read the X-ray. I received painkillers and was sent away.
Now I received proper medical care free of cost, without a hassle from GPHC.
Thumbs up! Good job GPHC! I am never going back to that private hospital.
K. SINGH