Apollo Hospital — Improper billing and verbal abuse of elderly patient

Address:

Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Dear Apollo / Nova Specialty Management, I had brought my father, Mr. Embar Srinivasan, to the Nova Specialty hospital ER room in MRC Nagar on two separate days to have my father receive Ventnor injections for anemia. On both occasions, I supplied the two Ventnor 2000 ampoules. On 17 March 2015, I was charged Rs. 50 as injection charges to two arms. On 21 March 2015, I was charged Rs. 100 as injection charges to two arms. On 21 March 2015, when I informed the ER duty doctor, Dr. Kavita (who was the duty doctor on 17 March and 21 March) that I had paid only Rs 50 for the injections a few days before and that Kauvery Hospital only charges Rs 20 as injection charges, Dr Kavita informed me in a loud and patronizing manner that the nurse had made a mistake on 17 March 2015 by charging Rs 50 and that Apollo Hospitals charges Rs 100 for injections. I was upset by Dr. Kavita’s manner and her loud tone and asked her not to raise her voice to me and mentioned that doctors should also treat patients politely, she started to address my 83 old year father, a heart attack survivor with kidney ailments, who was the victim of medical malpractice in the USA where he had lived for numerous years, in the same loud and rude manner. I raised my voice and asked her not to raise her voice to my father and reminded her about Indian traditions of respecting elders and left to pay the bill. I paid Rs, 100 but would like to register my complaint against Dr. Kavita for her rude and insensitive manner. A person who has little consideration or respect for the elderly and ailing patients should not be handling patients in the hospital and especially in the ER where patients come with serious afflictions. I would also like you to clarify the billing procedures regarding injections as I feel it is not fair to patients to bill patients double the amount every few days. I hope Apollo / Nova management will act on my concerns and resolve the billing discrepancy and ensure that their staff treat patients with respect and dignity. I look forward to your written response to my concerns. Sincerely, Ravi Embar