Pantai KL vs UMSC

When Dr. Kamaljit told us that UMSC was half the price of Pantai Hospital for a C section, we decided to pay UMSC a visit to see if it was worth the savings.

Prior to this we've already gone to pay a visit to Pantai KL and here are 3 top reasons why we've decided to go with Pantai, despite the higher cost of delivery.

1. Professionalism

When we went to Pantai Hospital for our first visit, everyone whom we spoke English to, replied back in English & didn't assume that we were locals.
I'm really sick and tired of people automatically assuming that we are Malaysians and STILL attempting to talk to us in Bahasa despite us speaking in English/telling them that we are not locals.  At UMSC, this was what we experienced. Other than the super long wait to see Dr. Valli which resulted in John confronting the nurses at the desk (I mean, what's the whole point of booking an appointment if we're going to arrive on time and STILL wait 1-2 hours to see the doctor?!), we also experienced incompetent nurses who dodged responsibilities when questioned.

In addition to that, the gynae we were assigned to was muddle-headed to say the least and we were quite surprised when we tell her our preferred C section date and 5 minutes later she points out the incorrect date range. She was very forgetful on numerous other occasions and John already started feeling uncomfortable at the thought of her being our c sect surgeon.

2. Accreditation

Pantai KL is one of the top 3 JCI accredited hospitals in KL, and for good reasons. With top facilities and a competent group of doctors and surgeons it's not hard to imagine why.

On the other hand, UMSC is still working towards their accreditation, and my mother kindly pointed out a poster on their hospital walls saying that one of their top goals is to eventually become accredited.

3. Facilities & Ease of mobility

UMSC Hospital has a very complex building structure, with 2 separate wings under the same building (government wing, and private non-government wing) and unclear instructions, which is NOT going to come in handy when you hage to rush to the hospital and make your way to the appropriate ward. Even the nurse we spoke to didnt know how to help us get back to the parking space.

Oh and parking is another painful situation altogether. Lots are super tight and impossible to find most of the time. There are also unclear parking signs all over the place that if you were a newbie to this hospital, you'd definitely get lost the first few times.

On the other hand, parking at Pantai KL is very straightforward. You enter the parking space from the main road and taking the lift leads you right up to the main lobby. At the main lobby there is a front desk with staff who speak English and helps you with your queries, WITH A SMILE. And a smile, especially in Malaysia, makes a world of a difference.

Facilities and surroundings here are definitely newer, more modern - looking and the overall atmosphere is more lively, cleaner and just generally makes you feel better about the prospect of getting hospitalised.
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Having said all these, you definitely get what you pay for. That's how the world works - pay a bit more for better service, better facilities and better quality. And John and I have decided that because it concerns our baby and my health, that money is not an issue. I've been fighting the idea of going to Pantai because of how much a C section will end up costing us (and this is not even taking into account other potential costs involved such as NICU costs etc ***touchwood***) and I've clearly expressed that to John, but he has given me the reassurance that everything will be just fine with our finances. He really wants the best for us (bubs and i) and he didn't have a good feeling at all about UMSC to start with.

So, 4 more days till the big day. :-)