Joseph Kurian Hospital- our experience

Joseph Kurian Hospital (JKH), renowned for maternity and obstetrician care, was recommended to us, for maternity labour and delivery. We had planned to consult a local gynecologist for 7 or months, post which move to JKH for final trimester, given it’s crowning reputation for natural child birth.  Here is the gist of what we think of JHK and Mrs. Rekha Kurien. All nuances and comments are based on our experiences. Many have lauded about JHK, but our experience to be precise was

 “Waste of time and consultation Charges”!!!!

Pro’s:

·         Reputed for Natural Birth. That’s ALL TO IT!!!!!!

Con’s:

·         Too Long a waiting time. Each of our visits averaged four to five hours, almost half a day gone!!!!  

·         My View on Mrs. Rekha Kurian would be “BAD”. There is no personal care, the consultation time averaged 2-5 minutes, something to annoy about given the wait of four hours. She was always keen to press on the bell, so for the next patient to come in and stand behind us, while the current patient, we were being advised.

·         There is no order of first come, first serve. With or without appointment, we had patients who flocked behind us, being let to consult ahead of us.

·         There is no personal value for patients or patient’s time. Something in the system, due to overboard of patients who flock JHK. A person cannot be de-valued, just because the organization has hundreds of other to look into. Not just us, but every other patient who were in the waiting room, did not seem happy about the wait.

·         The reputation of the founder Late Joseph Kurian  for his skill in conducting natural birth is still milked upon by the current team. New mothers who i questioned (of friendly chats) there, actually were out of C-sections. Natural Birth is just the Face Value of the reputation which the founder established.

·         Cost of natural birth is 45,000 and C-section is 65,000. Expensive, when compared to other low-cost hospitals which charge 30,000 for natural and 40,000 for C-section.

Here is our story, with all the details:

 Our first encounter:

Ø  No Appointment, was a walk-in. (First trimester – 3^rd month)

Ø  Our waiting time was four to five hours, after fee payment and Asst. Doctor check up.                              (walked-in at 4.00 and got to meet Rekha Kurian after 8.00 pm. Since it was a walk-in, we did not fret much. We chose to understand and continue to JHK)

Ø  Consultation time with Rekha Kurian was less that 3 mins. Yes!! Less than three minutes for more that four hour wait. The consultation got over before it hardly started. Mrs. Rekha Kurian, would skim through the details automated on her system, gave a time-line for next visit and then rang the bell for the next patient to walk in and stand behind us – WHILE WE WERE STILL TALKING. However, given I was just in first trimester, we choose to understand, especially, given we did not choose to consult with JHK, until third trimester.

Our second encounter:

Ø  With Appointment. (Third Trimester - 8^th Month). We arrived on time.

Ø  Our waiting time for four and half hours. It was like no difference!!! With or without appointment, our waiting time averaged four hours. The lady at the gate of Ms. Rekha Kurian, did not follow first-come-first serve order, in any of our consultation meet. Twice we would walk in to a empty hospital, usually with three or four patients and when the time comes, people who have missed morning appointments will be given preferences, thus making our wait an eternity!!!!

Ø  Consultation time with Rekha Kurian was now 5 mins. Just five mintues!!! Again there was no personal attention, just skimming through of details and prescription of medication, literally “Recited” to us. We found Mrs. Rekha Kurian, was keen on pressing the bell, so to have all patients consult her in the narrow window of time available to her. The practice of next patient waiting behind the current, makes one feel cornered and de-valued.

Ø  We were now in doubts whether to continue with our plans of delivering our child at JHK. But in respect of our elders, we choose to continue.

Our Third encounter:

Ø  With Appointment. (Third Trimester – 9^th Month). We did not Arrive on time – late by 20 mins.

Ø  We were denied consultation with Mrs. Rekha Kurien, for we were late 20 mins. Our’s was 9.00 am appointment and we showed up exactly at 9.20 and it was treated as us not honoring appointments???? Acceptable, if the Kuriens honored the time of their patients and kept the timing. While patients were made to wait endlessly for a average of four hours, a 20 mins delay from patients side was not acceptable,…. Our consultation this time, was limited to Asst. Doctor and while we were waiting for it, we found our experience with Kurien Hospital frustrating.

End of it, it was truly a waste of time, travel and money. We choose to continue with our local Gynecologist, though unsure and demotivated of Possible C-section. By God's Grace, our bad experience with Kurian was a boon, because it led us on deciding to continue with local Gynecologist Ms. Nalini. Our experience throught consulation and delivery (Natural child birth), was exhilarating. I'm obligated to write more about Ms. Nalini, Gynecologist and Obstetrician, practicing at Xcellent Health Care - Velechery. The personal attention and medical care, was worth all the wait,.....