Director

Director
Epworth Hospital
Richmond

I am going to the trouble of writing this email to you as suggested by your accounts department as I feel strongly about the complicated process of getting medical attention at your hospital.

My wife attended your emergency clinic on 16/12/2018. We were seen quickly and also required to have an xray of her foot. The service was excellent and appreciated. Nonetheless, this is what I would expect for having to pay $300 to receive attention. Then came a myriad of accounts processes requiring us to pay separate accounts for xray and then followed by several letters from your offices as well as Medicare refund cheques we had to forward to you etc. Today we received another letter from your accounts office with further medicare refund instructions and a reply paid envelope and the saga goes on and on. I rang your office and after a long wait I was advised the account was now paid in full etc.

My point is what is going on here? Most medical places offer bulk billing including for pathology and xray services or in the very least complete a direct medicare claim so that I can just go home and relax or recouperate. Instead we are still dealing with your accounts paperwork 6 weeks after we attended your hospital on 16 dec 2018. This is bizarre and unacceptable.

My wife and I live in the Docklands and have visited your emergency clinic on several occasions over recent years however, I think enough is enough. In this day and age surely you can organise a better and more efficient system. I also can no longer accept an upfront fee of $300.

Regards
AHMET A