Worst experience ever with dr Arneaux Kruger

Dr Arneaux Kruger at 49 Tanner St, Windsor Park, Kraaifontein, was recommended to me by a friend who said dr Kruger and his receptionist, Vicky, are warm, caring people who instantly make you feel welcome.

I was very excited to become a patient because I had only heard good things about dr Kruger and needed a good GP on the Discovery Network to apppoint as my Primary Doctor.

Unfortunately my excitement quickly turned to horror when I received the worst treatment I have ever received from a professional.

I sent an email to the receptionist to ask if the dr is still taking new patients. She said yes and asked on which Discovery plan I am. She also said I must send a copy of my chronic script to the dr.

Her email wasn't particularly friendly or warm, but it was okay. I rep**** with the information she asked for. I then sent my last four scripts, including my current one which is still valid for four months, to her.

I got no reply from her so I sent another email asking questions like whether the dr had a dedicated email address so that my dr can send my personal medical information directly to dr Kruger. I also wanted to know if they just need the documents in my file or if my dr needed to write a report.

I mentioned that my primary dr is actually a psychiatrist who is also on the Discovery Network, but that I didn't nominate him because Discovery wanted a GP.

I gave some of my medical details such as the fact that I am in perfect physical health, but on schedule 5 psychiatric medication. I made it clear though that I only needed dr Kruger's services as a GP and that I will continue to see my psychiatrist to get all my scripts from him.

I also asked if a GP is allowed to write out a script for schedule 5 psychiatric medication for a very short period of time (a week or less).

I had a situation a month or two earlier where I still had one repeat left of Venlafaxine XR, but the pharmacy made a mistake and wouldn't give it to me (they later admitted they made a mistake). I drank the last of the pills that morning, but wasn't worried because I knew I still had one repeat left. Venlafaxine has a very short half life and you start to feel terrible within a day or so, so I needed the pills that day. I tried to get hold of my psychiatrist and his receptionist but both were unavailable.

I had no plan B and was in tears. That is why I asked dr Kruger if a GP would be able to help me in a situation like that. The receptionist didn't answer my question so I had to ask it more than once.

And so the nightmare started. I got a pretty cold email from the receptionist saying I must get my pills from my psychiatrist or go to the ER if I have an emergency. She could have just said GPs are not allowed to write out scripts for medications like that. But she didn't.

She also didn't tell me that they actually only help people who phone them. I have a phobia of phones so I prefer writing emails. She just wrote that I must make an appointment telephonically. This didn't make any sense to me because I wasn't sick and didn't want an appointment. She didn't show an ounce of empathy, warmth or friendliness.

I would write beautiful, very polite emails to the recptionist to ask questions but got no answers. I found this very frustrating.

Eventually I wrote her a long email explaining my situation again and said if they didn't want me as a patient they must just say so and I would find another GP. That was on the Friday.

By late Tuesday afternoon I still hadn't heard a word from her. A "Welcome, Rikus. So glad to have you as a new patient. We are very busy at the moment, so please phone us and we will gladly answer any questions you have. Looking forward to hearing from you" would have been a much better approach.

I was forced to send quite a few emails with legitimate questions but received no reply. After the very cold: "Go to the ER if your psychiatric medication is finished (like they would be able to help me)" comment I never heard from her again.

By the Tuesday evening I was very upset and wrote a short, strongly worded email saying it is shocking that they just flat out ignore me.

After that email I received an email from dr Kruger himself saying my emails "give the impression that I'm hard up for schedule 5 and 6 drugs". I never once mentioned schedule 6 medication and only mentioned the schedule 5 medication because that is what my psychiatrist prescribed for me. It formed part of my medical history so a Primary Doctor should know these things. Instead I was basically called a druggie who is hard up for schedule 5 and 6 drugs. Again, I have a valid prescription for everything I need and my psychiatrist would gladly write out a new script for me.

And then dr Kruger told me to stop bombarding/harassing his receptionist with my emails. He gave some lame excuse (which he would no doubt use if he bothers to reply to this revue). He copied and pasted some stuff about only helping people telephonically and replies can take up to seven days, and huge work-loads and bla, bla.

Then he told me to go find another GP. Him and his receptionist were ice cold and unhelpful. Don't believe the hype that he is the best dr ever and so warm, friendly, helpful and nice. It's all an act to lure in rich patients like my friend who recommended him.

My Discovery Plan was obviously not grand enough for them. Imagine being told they don't want you as a patient because you seem like a hard up druggie. And any questions or requests for a reply is called harassment.

AVOID DR A KRUGER AT AL COSTS!