SNG-Leap of logic - Page 2

Originally posted by: Nach_Baliye

My husband's aunt works in the best hospital in India, and is Head of Department. When I went to visit her, I thought she would have a nice large AC office and all, nothing doing. It was a government hospital, so the amenities were basic, it was hot as hell and throngs of people crowded around for examination. I am sure private hospitals are better, but not that much better.

A while back, (three months ago) I went to apollo hospital in my city in India. (as an out-patient ... not checked into any of the beds).

Originally posted by: tinoo

A while back, (three months ago) I went to apollo hospital in my city in India. (as an out-patient ... not checked into any of the beds).

I went to the reception area and the reception area was divided into three parts --

1. half was a huge reception desk that ran from one wall to the other

2. one fourth was a place where people could sit -- with lots of plush sofas

3. the other one fourth was a coffee bar which was run by cafe coffee day -- there were small tables and chairs and it looked like a french bistro.

When I went in, i was greeted by a smiling concierge (and there were five of them on duty in the lobby -- all wearing matching saris -- like airhostesses do or like you will see at the luxury hotels like the taj) -- and one of them came up to me, and led me personally to the sofas.

She asked me whom I wanted to see, what my ailment was, and I told her that I wanted to visit a specialist for my disease. So, she personally went to the reception desk, and got a set of forms for me to fill out on the sofa (instead of making me stand at the reception desk and fill out the forms) - please note that it was done out of courtesy, I am not an invalid, and can fully walk on my own -- so it was not done out of medical necessity.

After that, she sat with me while I was filling the form, and a peon came out with a glass of cold water and asked me to have some water -- he too was very well groomed. I drank the water and he very politely asked me if I would like some limbu sharbat. I said 'yes that will be great'.

The lady then took my forms to the reception desk, had them processed while I sat on the sofa, she then came back to ask me a couple of questions which I had left unanswered, went back and then got me a number.

If I had wanted tea or coffee I could have gone to the cafe coffee day in the reception area.

After that she took me personally to the second floor, where the doctor's office was -- and accompanied me in the elevator. This too was unnecessary because all she had to do was to ask me to follow the signs, and the elevator was right in front of me.

But she was very pleasant, made sure to deposit me in front of his office and asked if I wanted her to stay with me till the doctor arrived.

Apollo charges a lot as a hospital, and I went there because my company pays for it on its health plan... but I found the service impeccable. And I am a nobody (not one of the rich or famous -- just an ordinary person).

The point I am trying to make is that SNG is probably a luxury hospital catering to the likes of bollywood stars and rich industrialists. It will not hurt them financially to offer water and tea to their guests and to hire a couple of greeters and peons to extend this hospitality and welcome.

also my doctor at apollo was very young (even younger than me)... and he had his own room with his board on the door ... the independent room is not given to doctors as a mark of respect for their ego or their accomplishments ... it is given to them so that patients can be examined in private and so that they can have discussions in private. Patients want their privacy and are not inclined to being examined in a joint room. That is why doctors are given independent rooms. And the junior doctor's room at the hospital was very well decorated and furnished ... it is not that the hospital is giving it to him per se, the hospital sees it as a reflection of itself in front of its patients.