Coincidentally, just last Saturday, I was a subject of a similar discourteous behavior by a guard at the University of San Carlos - Talamban Campus, where the Cebu Science and Mathematics Teachers Association had its 6th monthly seminar for teachers. I originally planned to write a letter to the right people at my former school. But with the "rediscovery" of these two letters, I've changed my mind. Sometimes the "right" people would not do any thing at all.
Here's the first letter, to give you more information of what transpired. This is as what I wrote last year, except that I deleted and replaced with placeholders identifying information as to what this "premier" hospital is. I also deleted the name of the security agency, since it seems a bit unfair to include them here. Forgive my lapses in grammar:
Dr. [name removed]
Director of Patient Services
[hospital name removed]
Dear Dr. [name removed]:
I am Vincent S. Isles of 56-C San Miguel St., Lorega, Cebu City. [not any more; I now live somewhere in Mandaue City]
I am writing regarding a certain S/G Catigtig of [name of security agency removed], and Dr. M., who entertained me last Feb. 27, 2008.
On or around 6:45 PM of Feb. 27, 2008, I entered the premises of [your "premier" hospital] to visit my girlfriend who was currently admitted at that time. I was bringing a laptop. I was told by S/G Catigtig that laptops are not allowed inside the hospital. I said I am willing to leave the laptop with them [the guards], but they must give me an explicit acknowledgement of such receipt, and not just the number that they routinely hand out to those who have to deposit things with the guards. I thought it reasonable to demand such, considering the value of a laptop, and considering how easily it could be removed from the courtesy booth.
However, S/G Catigtig would not agree with such an arrangement. He insisted that either I leave the laptop with him and accept the number as acknowledgement that I left something with him, or not enter the hospital premises at all. I told him that I do not know any one or any where near the vicinity of the hospital with whom or where I could deposit the laptop. He reiterated my choices. It was at this point that I sensed that he really intended to have me leave my laptop with him. To be fair with S/G Catigtig, I am not certain of any criminal intent on his part. However, I was very suspicious of his actuations, and why he would want me to leave the laptop, specifically including the charger.
I told him that if the concern of the hospital is the use of electricity if I bring in my laptop, I could very well leave with him the charger of the laptop. Again, he just reiterated the choices he previously gave me. Realizing that I was wasting time with S/G Catigtig, I told him that I would like to speak to his immediate head. He told me that his immediate head is not present. Sensing that I could [not] go past S/G Catigtig without leaving my laptop with him, for whatever purpose he may put it into, I left the general admissions door and went to the emergency room entrance door. There I was told to use the general admissions door. I went back to the general admissions door, and, to my relief, S/G Catigtig was nowhere in sight. I immediately lined up along with other visitors, and when it was my time [for inspection], I told the guard doing the inspections (whose name I could not recall) that I know about the hospital's policy regarding electronic gadgets [actually, I did not], and the policy would be served just as well if I leave the charger with him but still bring the laptop inside. The guard accepted this arrangement, and I went past the door. I met S/G Catigtig in a corridor (he must have taken a leak) and, smiling, he said to me, "Aw, ibilin ra man diay." I just smiled at him.
After I visited my girlfriend, I asked some utility workers to whom could I speak to if I have complaints with the guards. They told me I could speak with Dr. M.
My overall assessment of our almost 45-minute talk is that it was just a waste of time. Instead of focusing on my concerns, Dr. M. chose to dwell on why I would not divulge my employer. [The reasons I did not divulge my employer were: 1.) My employer was not in any way related to my complaint; and 2.) I did not want to divulge the fact that the family of one of my students own the hospital. If I divulge my employer's name, the complaint would have taken a different course. But I am not one for such kind of things. Surely institutions should treat clients alike, whether they are teachers of the owners' kids or not. On the other hand, it was actually only later that I realized that the hospital is owned by the family of one of my students.]
Instead of being given attention as a client who took the extra effort to inform the hospital on how it could improve its service, I felt that I was the one being investigated.
I still don't know if the time I spent on writing this email might have been better spent on other things. What I do know is that I have the moral obligation to help, in my own little way, improve the services of a hospital which is a pride of Cebu. Whether you will act on this email or not is up to you.
Respectfully yours,
Vincent S. Isles
56-C San Miguel St.
Lorega, Cebu City
http://islesv.net
Unfortunately, I was not able to find the email address of the director of patient services. So I planned to do it the old-fashioned way. I actually printed, signed, and put in a sealed envelope the following letter, but when I brought it to the hospital to personally give to the director of patient services, Dr. M. intervened. While I was waiting for my turn to speak to the director, she saw me. She must have realized that I wanted to talk to the director regarding S/G Catigtig's and her conduct, so before I could talk with the director, she talked with her. I did not know the content of their talk; it could have been something else and not in any way related to the state of my complaint. Nevertheless, I was disheartened at that time, so I just left.
March 25, 2008
Dr. [name removed]
Director of Patient Services
[hospital name removed]
Dear Dr. [name removed]:
I am Vincent S. Isles of 56-C San Miguel St., Lorega, Cebu City.
Dr. M. promised me that there will be an update through my email (vincent@islesv.net) of the incident I reported to her on 27 Feb 2008. As it is almost a month and I did not receive any update, I am confident now of my initial suspicion.
If you think that there are no complaints about your hospital services, please be aware that there seems to be problem with the person your clients are supposed to complain to. [not italicized in the original]
I am enclosing herewith an email I was supposed to send to you on 27 Feb. It was not sent because I could not find your email address from your website. From my talk with Dr. M., I assumed that I could get your email address from the website. I realized an hour later that I was mislead.
My girlfriend confirmed to me later that she had also complained to the same person for the way she was treated by the nurses during an earlier time, and nothing happened to her complaint. Her complaint was the differential way of the nurses when they knew that her doctor is the doctor of the employees of [a certain business in Metro Cebu]. (Actually that doctor is my girlfriend's aunt; my girlfriend is not working at [that business establishment].)
I did not ask persons other than my girlfriend for their experience with the complaint handling system of your hospital because I consider that unethical, but I think you ought to do your own investigation. [not italicized in the original]
I would appreciate if you can acknowledge this letter through an email.
Respectfully yours,
Vincent S. Isles
56-C San Miguel St.
Lorega, Cebu City
http://islesv.net
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