Palm Beach Hospital - Diani Beach — Local services in Gombato Bongwe ward

If you are a tourist then beware:

I have had many positive hospital experiences in Kenya across the Coast and so I was unprepared for just how unprofessional this hospital was at a time when I needed quality care.

I arrived early in the evening with a serious bacterial infection and the reception was basically empty but I was still let waiting with no explanation for almost 30 minutes.

The only question Reception asked me in English was "Do you have "travel insurance?" After that, they ignored me and directed all their questions in Kiswahili to my spouse which was very off putting. They completed the record for my hospital stay: spelled my name wrong and incorrectly recorded my gender (I am very much a man). Sloppy and indifferent which you don't want in a hospital. This kind of sloppy behavior largely did not change while I was in the hospital, not the fact that they seemed unwilling to speak to me in English (which they all spoke). It was very isolating when you are extremely ill.

When I was taken to triage I was brought into a room where another patient was being sutured for quite a serious wound which was highly unprofessional and lacking in privacy for both us.

I was then taken to a room (I was unaware that this was a "Private Room" for which I was going to be charged 10,000 KES). I did not require or request a "Private Room".

After being given IV antibiotics I was left unattended in my "Private Room" without working air conditioning or working TV to manage my diarrhea (unfortunately badly) but at least privately.

After several hours and a broken drip (twice) we saw the Doctor again (no check in by him at any point. I suspect he was the only Doctor on duty for the whole hospital TBH) and he gave me his analysis of the test results which were quite alarming but then he recommended I stay in overnight for more IV but only "monitoring" which seemed inconsistent. When I asked him questions he did not respond directly which is not good professional practice. He directed his answers to my wife in Kiswahili even though he clearly spoke English. Despite this, I was still willing to be guided by his advice BUT THEN ...

We were given a 36,000 KES bill for the treatment and medication we'd already received (which included the charge for the Private Room) and asked to pay a 100,000 KES "deposit" for the overnight stay! This was clearly ridiculous and my alarm bells went off. The receptionists response to our questioning this was to say to my wife in Kiswahili ("It's only a $1000"). Now her question about whether I had travel insurance made sense - they over charge sick foreigners who they think "can afford it". We decided at this point that we weren't happy to pay this amount and would go - AND THEN IT GOT STRANGE.

They made us speak to the Doctor again and he seemed surprised at my decision and tried to convince my wife (not me and again in Kiswahili - not English) to stay. None of his concern was expressed in terms of patient care or medical outcomes. When we explained that the deposit was far too high he suddenly wanted to negotiate on price. But by this point my trust was gone and nothing they said was going to keep me there. I wasn't argumentative and didn't complain (I'm not a rude foreigner) but he insisted on calling the hospital director and making me speak to him even though I said I didn't need to or want to. Sadly, this man seemed less interested in me as a patient but was very angry at me for being unwilling to agree to pay an enormous holding deposit. He was extremely rude. I suspect my poor doctor was just trying to avoid getting yelled at himself by the Director and was throwing me under the bus.

It was only the next day that my experience made sense when we read the other reviews.

This is a badly run hospital with a poor culture that does not prioritize patient care.

PS Never assume your Foreigner/Mzungu doesn't understand Swahili or that their spouses are willing to be bullied to support your unreasonable demands when they are...

I had the misfortune of falling ill with a stomach infection during a recent visit to the Diani Beach area. On arrival at the Palm Beach hospital, I was triaged and told I would need to be admitted as I was very dehydrated and unwell. I was brought to a private room where I received immediate and good care, including IV fluids and medication. However , they were very quick to make sure we paid a 1000 usd deposit when i was admitted. Also they look for passports to hold on to but we refused to provide these.

The nurses at the hospital were really kind and caring and they took excellent care of me. The chef was also lovely and brought me wholesome, comforting food 3 times each day. The doctor was extremely rude and unprofessional however.

On my second day i felt well enough to leave but the doctor insisted i needed to stay saying it was a very serious illness. Being sick and vulnerable i agreed reluctantly, trusting the doctor and thinking i would leave in the morn. By the third day, again I felt well enough to go home and requested to be discharged with oral medication. The doctor was agressive and insisted I stay another night. When i insisted i was leaving and felt fine he was saying, “But I’ve already told your insurance company you are staying another night.”

When I argued my case more, the doctor then said I could leave as long as I returned the next day to sign a form and said I couldn’t get my oral medication until then. Presumably, this was so they could still tell my insurance company that I had stayed that night. Only when my TUI holiday rep called the hospital did they let me leave with my medication.

This is my main issue with this hospital...they clearly see European tourists as an easy way to make money, and this seems to come before the patient’s actual health. I felt they were treating me for something i didnt need ti be kept in for, as they were making 1k usd a day from me. So much for the Hippocratic Oath...money came first. I got the treatment when i needed it but i was left with a bad feeling that they were treating me for more than i needed just to make more money. The doctor was a horrible rude individual and clearly was thinking of money rather than giving honest medical care. Just be aware as a european tourist they might try to keep you in longer than needed...

Had a dental appointment at 10 am on Saturday 26 November. Arrived 9.45. Dentist arrived 10.20 and had double booked. Other patient went in. I Waited till 11 and then left. Was called at 11.30 to say they were ready. I was gone so made appointment at 10 am for Saturday 3 December.

Saturday 3 December arrived 9.45 to be told dentist was delayed at Likoni ferry. No problem with that except that they had been aware and not bothered to call me to prevent my travelling there. Made appointment for 10 am Saturday 10 December.

Saturday 10 December. Get phone call at about 9.15 to say that dentist not available till 11. Ok with that so I arrive at 10.45 to watch with astonishment as another patient went in before me.

Complained to hospital administrator, who is also the owner and also a doctor. He told me the other patient had already been injected. I asked why when I had been asked to come at 11. He tried to fob me off that the injection had been done at 9. The dental clinic does not start till 10 and any injection at 9 would have worn off by 11. Anyone who has been to a dentist knows that the injection is about 15 mins before the treatment i.e. As I was arriving and 15 minutves before they had asked me to come! What an insult to someone's intelligence. I replied that it was obviously just an excuse and that the whole business was completely unprofessional. He didn't really seem to care at all and I left

Had to give 1 star to post this. If the option had been available would have given minus 5.

Draw your own...