The Brooklyn Hospital Center

Reviews 4

BA

Barry L

This complaint is addressed to the Administration at the Brooklyn Hospital Center. For some months now my wife has been harassed by the grossly incompetent billing department at the Brooklyn Hospital Center. I have been with her when she has made her co-pays, always with a check, either directly before or after each visit. She has NEVER failed to make these co-pays, often reminding the desk clerks that a co-pay is required. For the second time now, the Brooklyn Hospital Center, due its own lack of conscientiousness in keeping track of their patient records, has forced my wife to get copies of the checks with which she has made her required co-pays to prove that she has, in fact, been prompt and responsible in making these co-payments. As if this wasnt aggravating enough -- to be accused of delinquency by the perpetrators of systemic billing abuse and harassed by collection agencies -- the hospital has now employed the use of an attorneys office to threaten her!! As I recently found out, according to the Office of the Inspector General at the US Department of Health and Human Services, "... The 464-bed Brooklyn Hospital Center received $544,783 in Medicare over-payments during 2010 and 2011, mostly due to incorrectly billing inpatient claims." Apparently there is a history of this type of poor performance at this hospital. Something must be done about this. Now I have an even stronger suspicion that my wife is not the only victim of the Brooklyn Hospital Centers billing incompetency. How long will they get away with this? Every time they make one of these erroneous claims against my wife, her credit rating takes another hit -- FOR NO DISCERNIBLE REASON. Perhaps the threat of litigation would light a fire in the billing department so they might hire someone who can set it right again. Or perhaps a complaint to the Attorney Generals office might be a wake up call. To all other Brooklyn Hospital Center billing department victims, I offer these suggestions. As of now, I would very strongly recommend against anyone making use of this hospital. They have little regard for accuracy when it comes to patient records; and reach out much too quickly for collection agencies when the fault is theirs. Who knows what other misdeeds they might be unaware of and making every day?

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KR

kraimi saad

I am writing in my capacity as a private individual in order to praise the customer service and help that I received from a member of your staff at Brooklyn Hospital Center. The situation was that I and my wife decided that she would give birth at Brooklyn Hospital Center since we have made our research and have found good reviews about the hospital but we were still hesitating as giving birth far away from home is not an easy thing. It is clear to me that we would have changed our choice easily if MRS. SAKIBEH MUSTAFA wasnt there whose in my view, the most helpful member of staff I have come across in all my days at the hospital. I wouldnt forget her calls and follow ups and keeping reassuring and asking if we need anything. We found in her person the mother, the sister, the friend.. well, I can say the whole family as she was there for us the whole time advising and guiding us with every small detail. During our stay at the hospital, we could notice the amazing work Mrs. SAKIBEH was doing towards all the patients and especially the Arab community who most of them struggles in getting help and advices due to the language barrier. In addition to this, Id like to thank all the hospital staff members for their efforts and especially SAKIBEHs manager GILDA, the reception staff (if I remember MRS. CARMEN), the nurses, the doctors (Especially MRS MARYAM MIRZAAGHA AND MR DMITRY YOUSHKO) and the BHC family. As a result of her efforts in supporting our attempts to give birth at BHC. I repeat that I have absolutely no doubt that, had she not been there, we would not have succeeded in our mission that easy. I was so grateful to her that I was absolutely insistent that I write to you in order to tell you of her efforts. I should say, incidentally, that MRS. SAKIBEH in no way prompted me to take this action. I know that you are extremely busy, but I would be very grateful if you could possibly assure me that you have passed on this information to her and that she has been praised for her outstanding work in the field of customer care. I remain in her debt. Many thanks. Saad Kraimi

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JI

Jim Liverani

The mission statement of the hospital is "when in doubt throw them out"..... Doubting your ability to pay whether via health insurance or self....Yes, throw them out .... I stood in horror and amazement and watched a doctor, Dr Kawaja, threaten his patient, my fiancé, with physical force for her to leave with no Discharge plan in place where transportation and medical equipment would not be readily available until days later, namely access-a-ride (which takes weeks to approve) or ambulette and walking apparatus, imperative to mobility in her residence. After complaining to patient relations and social services, a voucher for car service appeared as did hospital security threatening patient with local authorities while patient was still in bed with IV port still attached. As for senior management, the compassion and patient interests become less of a concern the higher up the chain of command you go! As one of the other commentors here reported ...."returned phone calls are non-existent" .....and communication among staff, management and doctors is lacking to a concerning degree. Bedside manner is "insensitive" and "arrogant". Nursing care is slow when it comes to RXs. If you work hard to earn your medical benefits, be prepared to work even harder to use and benefit from those benefits. Patients rights and appeal processes offered by insurance carriers are disregarded. File a complaint with your insurance and be prepared to spend the next several days on the non-patient list .... Meds and other patient related services cease on doctors say-so prior to review outcome by IPRO (in her case) and needed to be reinstated. The loss of your dignity as a person is a guarantee! When every hospital is filled to capacity and beds are hard to come by if a patient needs to be admitted, I wondered why there were so many beds empty. With our experience and hearing other patients demanding to leave, I got my answer. I gave 1 star because you cant post without it .... If arrogant, insensitive, egotistic healthcare professionals could fly, this hospital would be an airport!!!

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DE

Deirdre Goss

I had a very pleasant experience there. I was in labor and never made it to my hospital. Stopped at a firehouse on Tillary St for help and they escorted us to TBHC. The ER was overcrowded but they came to my aid immediately. The baby was on her way... their team jumped into action and brought me to delivery room right away. The maternity staff was great, pediatrics great. Everyone I came into contact with was very nice including security, food service, housekeeping, orderlies, birth and medical records. After coming home I was getting a bill that included a late fee. Even the billing dept was very helpful with me. They waived the late fee (I never got the original bill) and continued to return my calls and follow-up with me. Even the medical records dept returned my call when I left a message. If I had to do it all over again I would do it the same. The only problem I had was somehow being transferred through phone menu to the Admin Asst to the CFO. What a WITCH (with a B). The menu system is confusing and when she answered she wouldnt even let me ask a question. I think I disrupted her lunch. Anyway I read in other reviews that management sucks and maybe thats why she thinks she can talk the way she does. Outside of that incident everyone was excellent at this hospital and Im glad my daughter and I were able to be in such good care.

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