This is a review on Dr. Ashfaq Syed in Pune.
I am from Mumbai and called his office for an appointment. His office receptionist refused to give an appointment and insisted that one has to reach pune physically by 8 am only.
It is rather weird that in these days a doctor and his clinic office insist on an ad-hoc system of scheduling patients or lining them up without even barest semblance of order or priority – oddly, this serves neither the doctor, nor his patients!! But they persist with this strange system.
Well, they seem to have no schedule at all – it’s more like ‘come one, come all; it’s your luck and fate; but please do pay up for our complex and expensive fee structure even before you get to clap eyes on the good doctor!!! As long as you can burn a whole day off waiting for one doctor for just an under 4-5 minute interaction, and willing to cough up exorbitant fees for a mere prescription.
And to top this, the front office lady is exquisitely rude and apathetic towards one and all. She is less a receptionist and more an enforcer of the good doctor’s weird rules and strictures for patients. For heaven’s sake, do insist on sensible rules that help the doctor serve patients better, but not mindless barriers that alienate the very people who pay your bills.
She took pride in giving examples of patients who wait from 5 am onwards. Amazing! So your clinic and doctor will evaluate people’s patience and submission before you decide to take them on as patients???? What is this – some sort of a charity home for destitutes?? Aren’t we paying for a service? Aren’t we respectfully requesting for an appointment weeks in advance, instead of barging in and demanding attention at any time? Aren’t we being respectful as patients?
I don’t understand this expectation of the doctor where one should cue up like cattle. I have never seen a doctor insist on something like this. I am not sure what fun he gets, by making people wait. It is not a free service, it is a paid service. And it is unprofessional and inefficient from the patients’ point of view, when even days in advance are not offered. But probably it gives psychological satisfaction to see people queueing up in droves for oneself, and to charge the truly exorbitant fees that he always does.
His office receptionist refused to give her name, when I asked for it saying I want to report her name for this sort of conversation. A bouncer in a bar is more careful towards customers than this lady fronting for a service clinic.
If the doctor is good today, it is due indeed to his ability but he cannot ignore the patients reporting good results and to tremendous word of mouth in Pune. Typical of egoists to monopilize all credit. I have had a good recovery from his advice, now I cannot go back to avail the same!!! How ridiculous is that! Why would I recommend this man to my people and network in Pune, leave alone Mumbai???
It is painfully obvious that he has turned his service into a money making machine. His demeanour and attitude also betray narrow focus on cash and speed rather than serving patients. Agreed, you have lots of patients to see and cannot waste a minute; but somehow you are fast losing the meaning and soul of your profession if you can’t be kind and civil to your paying patients!!!
Maybe small clinic practitioners who see consistent success in their hole in the wall offices lose sight of the true purpose of their skill sets. They shoudl learn from Big hospital (like Lilavati) doctors’ bed side manners and patient handling skills in spite of billing inhuman rates!!!
This is such an unprofessionally run clinic, with harsh treatment of patients and relentless fleecing when you get through it all. So sad that this man is actually talented. And this is coming from a patient who has had a good word for him always, until the unfeeling treatment received today – only becuase I was being considerate for the doctor’s time and schedule, trying to take an appointment 8 days in advance!!!
It won’t be long before the quality of diagnosis and treatment will stoop to dismal levels if this state of affairs continue. Not long at all. Patients beware. It is a needless rigmarole and heartburn going to Dr. Ashfaque syed’s Clinic in MG Road Camp. He may be good at treating your skin but ladies, treat yourself better! If you have no idea how your patients are being treated in your front office, then you are running a much worser shop than I thought. If you do know, than God save your patients.
Regards,
Preeti