MAY 23 — The recent decision by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) to compound-fine a private hospital prompts me to highlight yet another high-handed practice prevalent among private hospitals... that of selling you unnecessary items.
I was warded in a private hospital near the old Subang Airport for a knee replacement procedure which necessitated two days of stay during which I was given a bed bath.
Among the things billed to me were ten sets of bed bath kits… now, what am I to do with the nine unused kits?
On further examination of the things brought back was a box of rubber gloves. Yes, maybe a couple were used by the nurses serving me but to sell me 100 pairs of gloves is excessive. Surely gloves are standard items used by medical staff and should be part of the overheads.
Then there was a complete roll of surgical tapes used to bind bandages. All they used were a few inches and yet I have to pay for the whole roll. Isn’t surgical tapes standard items used in hospitals and should be covered by the RM25,000 I paid for the package deal.
The doctor who operated on me was surprised when I complained. He queried the management of the hospital and was told this is standard practice among private hospitals.
I would like the relevant authorities to investigate this systematic defrauding of hospital patients and put an end to this nefarious practice.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
