Complaint Against Mr. Ian Potgieter, Orthotist/Prosthetist – Pretoria East

I wish to lodge a formal complaint against Mr. Ian Potgieter, an Orthotist/Prosthetist based in Pretoria East, regarding the handling of services provided to my wife during her stay at Pretoria East Hospital on 12 March 2024. On the day of her admission for a scheduled back operation, Mr. Potgieter visited her in the hospital room. He informed us that he needed to take measurements for a custom back brace that would be fitted immediately after surgery. He stated that the brace was essential and would cost approximately R15,000.00. At no point were we offered any alternative service providers or given the opportunity to obtain comparative quotes. As the operation was scheduled for the following morning, we had no option but to accept Mr. Potgieter’s quote. Mr. Potgieter also indicated that medical aids often do not cover the full cost of such a back brace and advised us to apply for an ex gratia payment from Polmed if needed. He mentioned that the process could take some time but assured us that he was not in a hurry and would wait for the account to be settled. However, he did not specify any deadlines or provide a clear payment timeline. As anticipated, Polmed initially covered only a portion of the cost. We subsequently app**** for an ex gratia payment, which resulted in an additional amount being reimbursed—but not the full amount. An outstanding balance of R3,774.00 remained. I then submitted a formal appeal to Polmed, which has been referred to their Clinical Review Board. We are still awaiting the outcome of this appeal. Throughout this process, Mr. Potgieter’s accounts department was kept informed of our efforts to have the outstanding amount paid. From the beginning of our dealings with Mr. Potgieter, we indicated that we were willing to settle the balance should our efforts with Polmed not be successful. It is therefore extremely disappointing that, without any prior notice or communication, Mr. Potgieter proceeded to hand over the outstanding balance for debt collection. This action feels unfair and premature—especially given the relatively small amount outstanding and our demonstrated willingness to accept liability should Polmed ultimately decline payment. In light of the above, I find Mr. Potgieter’s handling of the situation unprofessional and lacking in empathy. I believe patients should be warned about the lack of transparency and rigid billing practices we experienced. I hope this complaint will encourage greater fairness, clearer communication, and more ethical patient engagement in the future.