Paid but not received

Last week, I received a call from BNH Hospital to acknowledge that they have read the feedback I wrote on their feedback/suggestion form which I dropped in the box at the reception area. The nice lady apologized for the inconvenience I stated in the form and assured me that they will talk to their staff regarding the issue and advise them to improve their service.

Let me share with you the incident that led me to write in their feedback form and why I left my name and contact number in the form.

After my consultation with my endocrinologist, I was instructed to go to the cashier’s area and wait for my number to be called. I was called, paid the bill and left the hospital. Then after a few hours, I decided to double-check my receipt as I received an email from BUPA, my insurance company that they will not cover any hospital expenses which is related to my thyroid crisis. And then I saw that I paid 234 THB for medication. I hurriedly went back to the hospital and went to the Pharmacy area which is exactly beside the cashier area and asked the nice pharmacist if there is medicine designated for me. She looked through her medicine trays and saw the one that corresponded to mine. I felt my blood rushing. The cashier did not tell me that I have medicine to claim at the pharmacy area. From my previous experiences with the hospital, I was always advised if there is medicine for me to claim.

You have to understand that in the Philippines, hospitals or clinics does not charge you right away with the medicine prescribed by your doctor. You have the option to buy it at the hospital pharmacy or from other pharmacies oustide the hospital. Some clinics especially in the provinces, they would encourage you to buy from them but it was never automatically in your bill if you are an outpatient. If you have been confined at the hospital there are times that the doctor will advise the nurse to give you medicine to take home at the time that you will be discharged and you will also be advised so you know you are expecting something.

So I end up writing the feedback form, as I don’t want all cashiers to be reprimanded with someone’s negligence, I asked the nice pharmacist if she can write for me (in English characters) the cashier’s name that appeared in my receipt. Her name on the form was in Thai character. At first she looked very puzzled on my request so she asked me, “So you like her very much?” and I immediately said “No, she did not tell me that I have medicine and I have to go back here when I checked my bill and saw that I was charged with medication.” I was lucky that the hospital was just 10-15 minutes walk from my office, imagine if I have to take a taxi to get there.

I put on the cashier’s name to indicate that the experience was with her. I also put on my name and contact number because I don’t want them to disregard it and think that it is just a prank or someone jealous of her actually wrote the feedback.

When I went home I had to check all my BNH receipts if any of those has been charged with medication and if it has been stamped with “RECEIVED” on it. Indeed, I saw one receipt with a 22 THB medication charge and with no “RECEIVED” stamp. I no longer went back to the hospital as I felt that it would be not worth the 22THB to complain and/or explain to the pharmacy what I wanted.


I could not imagine if I had been on accident and I had to be transferred immediately to another hospital or I am in a very bad condition and I or my companion has no time to check the receipts. And another “never mind” cashier wouldn’t inform me that I have medicine to claim. Imagine if it was thousands of baht.