I have absolutely no idea who are the people who have given good reviews for this place.
I had always heard bad reviews from everyone about this hospital. My father’s recent hospitalisation confirmed those horrible reviews.
First things first, the doctors who were on duty in emergency on Sunday July 9, 2023 between 10 to 1 need to be fired immediately. We went there in emergency as it was raining hard in Delhi & we couldn’t go anywhere else. I explained symptoms of my dad to the doctor on duty. I don’t know his name. He was wearing specs. Was on the heavier side. Young chap. I explained the first time we went that my dad was just staring blankly at me when I was asking him questions which was highly unusual so we got him to the emergency. The doctor asked my dad what happened. My dad (who by then became responsive) says he feels his BP is very high. The doctor did nothing about my explanation of my dad being unresponsive and blank to my questions. He said his BP is high, gave him injection and sent us home. Within an hour of reaching home, my dad had a full blown convulsive seizure. Our family friend, a neurosurgeon told us that phase when my dad was just staring blankly was a phase of silent or absent seizure (which was confirmed by Balaji neurologist later one Dr Sandhya Koche). Our family friend also said if my dad would have been treated by the doctor during our first visit to the Balaji emergency before itself he may not have had a subsequent full blown seizure. So this is the knowledge and competence of doctors in emergency. The doctors in emergency know nothing. They misdiagnose patients. We patients go to emergency to get quick treatment. But if this is the level of ignorance among their emergency doctors, are you in safe hands?
After the full blown seizure, we went to emergency again, & my dad was admitted in neuro ICU. That is when a series of nightmares begin. The nurses, ward boys and doctors on duty treat patients like nobodies. Nobody cares. There is zero compassion and care. I liked one Dr Anshul there. He was the only sensible person there, explained everything well. One Dr Aarushi, some junior doctor on duty in ICU was extremely rude, impatient, and behaves as if she is doing a favour by even giving basic explanation to the patient's family. The support staff, nurses seem frustrated and unhappy. Patient care seems to be the last thing in their mind. Wonder why some people join this profession if they don’t have the attitude for it. Am sure most junior doctors here are from below average medical schools, or paid admissions. People who genuinely have the discipline to become doctors won’t behave the way most doctors at Balaji do (atleast the few I interacted with).
I can’t say anything much about Dr Sandhya Koche Gupta. I can only comment after my dad gets better. What I also am shocked by is, when my dad was restless and anxious after 2 days in ICU, he was restrained. He wasn’t treated with compassion. He was literally abused. There were marks on his body which weren’t previously present. Just attaching one photo as a reference. He told us after discharge that they manhandled him and he literally cried. Imagine making an 80 year old patient cry. This is just hell. We asked the staff what happened, Dr Sandhya and Dr Aarushi casually say it is “oh it is ICU psychosis”. Excuse me!!! You can’t throw terms like these at the patient’s family and rattle them when they are already worried sick. Atleast explain patiently what it is. If it is serious or not. Term ICU psychosis itself is a misnomer, so to hear senior doctors and junior doctors use such terms is very shocking.
Would I go to the hospital again? Never! But as I have heard from most people, they go there not because they want to. But because that is the closest in the vicinity. If Paschim Vihar and surrounding locations had better options, Balaji would run out of business. The hospital lacks competent, kind, compassionate doctors, qualities that should be inherently present in all of its care team. Won’t be recommending this place to anyone.
