A Randfontein police officer was apparently refused treatment at the Netcare Krugersdorp Private Hospital‘s casualty ward after suffering a potentially serious head injury while on duty.
According to a source, the officer was rushed via ambulance from Randfontein to the hospital on 4 July.
Upon arrival at the hospital, he was taken to the casualty ward where staff demanded his medical aid card.
“He had all the correct documentation with regard to an injury on duty with him, yet they demanded that he produce the medical aid card, which he did not have with him,” says the source.
“His personal medical aid has nothing to do with a injury on duty, so we were completely baffled when he was refused treatment unless he could produce the card.”
According to the source, the officer, a sergeant based at the Randfontein police station, was forced to contact his wife, who had to travel from Soweto to the hospital using public transport.
The officer was eventually admitted after his wife showed up with the medical aid card.
The marketing manager for the hospital, Maxwell Dali Ndlovu confirmed the incident but referred media enquiries to the hospital’s general manager, Motlalentoa Motsoane.
According to Motsoane, the claim that the officer was refused treatment is untrue.
“We will never show a patient away without treatment,” says Motsonae.
“The officer was stabilised, but not admitted immediately because he did not have the correct documentation for an injury on duty claim with him. This places the hospital in a difficult position,” says Motsoane. “If we do not have the paperwork in order, the hospital cannot submit a claim, which means that the hospital does not get paid.”
Mostoane was adamant that the hospital will never show a patient away.
“We do ensure that the patient is stabilized. The fact is that once the patient is stable, we have to ensure that the documentation is correct. We have to establish whether the bill will be covered by the medical aid or by the patient, or in the case of an injury on duty, by the Workman’s Compensation Fund.”
Motsoane says that he has requested a meeting with Randfontein SAPS acting station commander, Colonel Marius Smit, in order to ensure that an arrangement is made where paperwork for Workman’s Compensation claims will be submitted later, meaning that the hospital can go ahead with treatment, knowing that they will receive the correct paperwork from the police station.
