These days there are so many platforms on which the public can complain and it seems that every year there are also more legislations and regulators which almost stimulates the consumer to complain, which is not a bad thing considering all the corruption and poor service delivery in many institutions of our country.
There is very little focus on the ‘good’, unfortunately this breeds a culture of negativity and very few people will take the time to consider the positive and recognise it.
This is why I want to take the time today to recognise the extra-ordinary service delivery before and during my time in Life Cosmos Hospital. It would not carry enough weight if I only said thank you without explaining the entire journey, because the excellence is in the detail.
I recently learned that I had to undergo surgery, an anterior cervical discectomy with fusion on three levels, in short, a neck operation. This was a shock to me considering that I am relatively young. Being the person that I am, I started with my ‘homework’, or some people will call it an investigation or interrogation.
I phoned David Julies, hospital manager at Life Cosmos, and asked numerous questions regarding the facilities, equipment, technology, ICU standards and even staff competence.
I also asked for a reference on Dr Engelbrecht, the neurosurgeon whom I was consulting regarding the procedure. Now many people would think this may seem a bit extreme and may even be offended by all the questions but Mr Julies handled this phenomenally well.
He was extremely patient and made sure that he dealt with all my questions.
He went the extra mile and offered me a tour through the hospital which I accepted. During the tour he introduced me to key members of his team, including senior members.
He took me through the process from being admitted up to being discharged. I must admit, the fact that I met with the people who worked in the operating room, ICU and the Wards was very comforting, especially because they were all very friendly. Mr Julies even gave me his personal cell phone number in case I needed to ask more questions or if I had complaints.
I also have to commend Dr Engelbrecht’s team, who ensured that the process leading up to the day of the operation was smooth and I had no additional stress to deal with. On August 12 I was welcomed by friendly and caring people who not only ensured that I was calm and comfortable but they also gave my wife and two small children a lot of attention and comfort.
The facilities were clean and tidy. Every single staff member was friendly, from the front desk, to the ward then to the pre-op room, inside the operating theatre, in the recovery room then to ICU and back to the surgical ward. Dr Engelbrecht and the physiotherapist Jaco van der Walt visited me regularly to ensure that all is going well. The entire experience was a pleasure. I even enjoyed the food which I found tasty and enough.
Things went so well that I was discharged after two days and went home. About a week later I realised that I left my shoes at the hospital. In fact, I left it in the ward room where I was prepared for the operation which I never returned to. I phoned Mr Julies, who asked one of the staff in the ward to call me regarding the lost shoes. Within five minutes, she phoned me and told me that she found the shoes and a jacket which I also left behind. Now that was the so called ‘cherry on top’!
The actual operation also went extremely well. I felt virtually no pain after the operation, during my stay in hospital and now almost three weeks later I still feel very good. This is due to the excellent work done by Dr Engelbrecht and his support team. I must add that during the consultations with Dr Engelbrecht, before the operation, I was also very impressed with how he handled my questions and concerns.
I felt safe at all times and after doing some research on him (which I shared with him) I knew I was in good hands.
I knew I could not change the fact that I had to undergo the surgery but the willingness and support of all the people empowered me to understand the procedures and processes and eliminated all my fears. I am extremely satisfied with Dr Engelbrecht, the management and staff of Life Cosmos Hospital as well as the facilities.
Thank you for treating me so well and caring for me.
