Would you pay 14K for this meal?
My story begun with a fall some months ago. The fault was mine because one shouldn’t climb mountains. There is merit in acting your age.
After months of walking like Igor, I finally hit pay dirt with an MRI confirming the need for part replacement at the shop.
The shop in this case was The Mulgrave Private Hospital, located in the quiet ambience of the Eastlink Freeway, in Melbourne’s semi-industrial east.
The experiences started on admission, where the RAT test was conducted deep inside the bowels of the hospital. Just walk down there- said the receptionist, it seemed not noticing that it was the wall holding me up.
With the luckily (for me and others I came across) negative RAT test, it was time for surgery. Concluded successfully I was wheeled into the recovery ward. Naturally, it was a shared room due to that the fourteen thousand one hundred and twenty-two dollars ($14,122) that I paid only for the hospital stay apparently didn’t warrant a private room in their modelling.
I felt I was wrong having any expectations at all because the fee didn’t even buy me an edible meal. Having missed lunch, for dinner I was offered the meal items on the pictures. Stone cold and dead on arrival with the soup all congealed in the bowl. Being the ever-curious person, I tasted it. Ah, I recognise you, Instant Celery Soup- I said to the bowl but the bowl had nothing to offer in return.
The Shepherds Pie was an even sadder affair, in my opinion. Scraped out from the end of the tray, it had the barest hint of anything aside from instant mash and then more mash, just in case anyone loves the stuff. One floret of broccoli and a few carrot batons were laughing in the face of dietary guidelines. Resigned, I ate the pudding only and hoped for the requested sandwich at supper but it never came.
As I settled in ignoring my hunger, I recall the nurse told me to expect disturbance because my roommate has nightmares. They were an alcoholic- I believe the nurse whispered in my ear.
The nurse was right about my roommate’s nightmares. I was lying awake all night reflecting on that it was them and not me who deserved a private room because their special needs and cries needed no audience nor their private information shared with others.
Next morning around 6 am I have relocated to the visitor's lounge to get some rest and I could not wait until 10am to be discharged ahead schedule. I have decided to leave because the hospital failed to provide the conditions to aid my post op recovery, beside some patchy clinical care. One ice pack instead of the prescribed eight and 4 attempts by 3 nurses to place an IV. Really?
I don’t hold any individuals responsible but the business model of the hospital that determines how revenues are allocated. In my opinion, this surgical hospital that charges premium fees, chooses only to have an approximately $8 per patient per day menu, have a limited number of nurses with markedly different skill levels and provides shared rooms in exchange of money that would buy a car.
With the Mulgrave Hospital promoting itself to be a 'self paid' surgery destination, cashing in on the COVID induced elective surgery backlog, the question in my opinion, is how much I, the potential patient, respect my own money. If I do and getting 'value for money' matters substantially, then based on my patient experience, I can sincerely say that I did not get it at The Mulgrave Hospital and I would not recommend it as such.
PS. When I have raised these issues with the hospital, it seemed I was offered a $1145 day rate refund without admission of wrongdoing and in exchange of my silence. I have rejected the offer and instead wrote this review.
Food
Room
Privacy