~ Staff also abused ~
PHILIPSBURG–A hotel in the Dominican Republic that has a contract with Social Health Insurance SZV to accommodate St. Maarten patients who travel to that country for medical reasons has filed a request to discontinue its contract with SZV.
The hotel no longer wants to accept St. Maarten patients due to a string of reasons, including their behaviour on the hotel property.
SZV Communications Officer Charonne Holder told The Daily Herald on Tuesday that the hotel wants to discontinue its agreement due to the “poor behaviour” of SZV clients who are St. Maarten patients.
“This matter is currently still under investigation, but we can disclose that the claims pertain to the damage of property, verbal abuse of staff and misconduct,” Holder said.
A senior SZV official said a patient had physically abused his partner in the hotel recently. This seems to be one of the many reasons for the move by the hotel.
Holder declined to provide the name of the hotel in question, or to provide the names of alternative hotels that will be used to accommodate patients “as this may jeopardise patient/customer safety.”
However, she said SZV had drafted an insured and insured companion’s conduct policy that will be implemented in the near future to address this issue.
SZV is also working on holding information sessions and providing additional information tools to “better educate and equip customers for medical travel abroad. This is most important for first-time travellers,” Holder said. “We aim to have these available in a short term in order to reduce the risks of customers mismanaging funds while abroad. This is a high risk for customers and not beneficial to the purpose of travel or recovery.”
Source: Daily Herald
Hotel wants out after SZV patients damage property
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