[Resolved]  Fortis Healthcare — Complaint about Staff Behavior at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon | Unprofessional | Disorganised | Pathetic hospitali

Address:

Gurgaon

To whom it may concern,

I am writing to express my deep concern and disappointment regarding the behaviour of the staff at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon. My recent experience (in the past 2 days) as a patient has left me greatly dissatisfied, and I believe it is essential to bring these issues to your attention for proper resolution. Following are series of events:

I had booked an appointment for full abdomen ultrasound for date 06-AUG-2023. For this test to be conducted, one has to have an empty stomach. But when I reached the hospital, it was found out that the whole IT system was down since morning. It was communicated that you need to wait for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. If this was the case, shouldn't I be informed by hospital staff? After I booked the appointment for an ultrasound, I had planned a few important appointments and commitments. This miscommunication has led me to not meet my commitments and appointments.

After billing, when I visited the ultrasound help desk, initially there was no one present to collect the billing papers and all patients were waiting. After waiting for a few minutes, a female staff member came from a closed room. I asked her where to submit these papers, she took it from me and went inside. After a few moments, a male staff member came out of the room and returned my papers back, which seemed very awkward. I asked him why he was returning it. He conveyed there are few prior appointments, keep these papers with you and you need to wait. I conveyed to him that it's ok I can wait, but you need to keep these papers, so that my turn would be confirmed. He strictly said no and said keep it with you and wait. I asked how many appointments prior to my appointment, then he conveyed 3 appointments.

I accepted the things and went to have some water, so that my bladder gets full, which is a prerequisite for ultrasound of full abdomen. I was surprised to know that there were no water cups and no one was there to look after it. I took a call and went to a nearby cafe to have a water bottle. This cafe is 50 meters away from the ultrasound department. After having a water bottle, I returned in 2-3 minutes and was surprised to find out that there were 5 people ahead of me. I asked the same guy why this has happened. He has no answer to share.

Now this makes me mad at him. I asked him to share whom he reports to. While I was in communication with him, he suddenly left the place and went to another room, where some female technicians were present. Now I was totally mad at him due to his behaviour. I followed him and was surprised to know that he is seeking help from the ultrasound female technicians.

In front of this technical staff, I raised my voice and said to him that I was asking about your reporting manager and you left the place, and I am pretty much sure that these technical staff are not to whom you report.

Now the best part comes. Not knowing anything about what had happened, all technicians unanimously said that he don't have a reporting manager. I was surprised and shocked to know this. I conveyed that this is a system and this is not possible, but they are still favouring him and protecting him. So I raised my voice and asked him to come to the help desk and let's find the floor manager and his reporting manager. One of the very intellectual technicians interrupted and said that you are "THREATENING" him. This was very absurd. I am still not able to understand how it comes under "THREATENING"?

Then I asked for an appointment list, and it was communicated to me that they do not have it.

Anyways I went to the help desk asking for the floor manager. Initially I was told that today there is no floor manager, but after a few moments a lady came and introduced herself as she is managing things today. I shared the situation and asked for an appointment list for today. She conveyed that we don't have it. It's with call centre guys. Knowing this I was not able to understand how Fortis's system works. No one has checked the appointment list. Looks like it works on first come first serve. Then why this whole drama of taking an appointment? I insisted on the list then she asked me to go and submit my papers for ultrasound and she will be sharing the appointment list shortly.

I went back to the ultrasound department and submitted my papers. Waited 5-7 minutes for the list. Monitored the things and did not receive any list. Now I went again to the billing department and asked to cancel my appointment for such a very unprofessional attitude and behaviour. This time I found out that the floor manager was there and on the first floor. So the staff lied about the floor manager.

Then I asked for the complaint lodge book / department. They sent me to the in-patient/admission department. I went there and asked for the same. And I was told that there is no complaint cell or complaint logging book/register in the whole hospital. An email id is shared to me to file my complaint. This is very weird, shocking and very unprofessional. This clearly suggests that there is no proactiveness, not even activeness. This shows administration wants patients to suffer and if they want to complain the same and want resolution on the spot, then Fortis is designed in such a way that they are not able to do so. I have not seen any hospital not having a complaint lodge book OR complaint cell present in hospital during patients visits.

After which I have taken the email id and since I was getting late, asked the ma'am (who was managing things on 06-AUGUST-2023) to share the name of staff and technicians present in the ultrasound department, so that I will quote their names over here. Have called her once, messaged her twice, but still not received the same. In fact she shared that she was "not able to find the names of staff and technicians present today" and will tell the Radiology head to have a word with me on 07-AUGUST-2023.

After receiving this message, I understand that everyone present in the hospital to whom I interacted are very unprofessional. OR As no complaint cell in hospital, so maybe this is normal for Fortis employees. OR maybe this is the way they are trained and told to behave in such a manner by Fortis. Don’t know which one is true/applicable.

After such a pathetic hospitality, I received on 06-AUGUST-2023, and looking at Fortis employee's behaviour in the past few hours, I don't know whether any strong/strict action/steps are taken by Fortis management. I don't know whether the email id shared to me is correct or if it reaches people responsible for maintaining a good environment and providing good hospitality to its patients.

Anyways I have blown the whistle and done my part and hoping that Fortis management will do its part.